


CounterTale: The Legacy of the First Soul!

by RTNightmare



Series: CounterTale [1]
Category: CounterTale, CounterTale - Alternate Universe (mine), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: #DealWithIt, A LOT OF CURSING!, A lot of 4th walls were broken in the making of this fan fiction, A story written for my own personal growth as an individual and an author, Additional Soul Traits, An almost reverse Undertale, Atlantis exists, Breaking the Fourth Wall, But I still kick their asses because I just can, Changed to mature early, Chapter 34 is first smut, CounterTale - Freeform, CounterTale is my AU, Dialogue-Heavy Story, Different from Sans tho, Dogaressa is a Mom to Rachel/Me, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, F/F, F/M, Frisk and Asriel (now Petals) freed the humans, Gen, Hopefully I get a rise out of you, Hug the skelly, I APOLOGIZE IF I OFFEND ANYONE, I also spite people a lot whenever I'm annoyed or feel out of control, I am an annoying bitch who is over-dramatic and sensitive at some points and sassy as hell in others, I am writing myself with all of my flaws and everything, I'm ahead in editing woot woot!, I'm bad at long descriptions, It begins!, M/M, Monsters won the war, Multi, My issues will be explained, NOT MY INTENT, Not like the Undertale Soul Traits tho, Original Undertale AU, Other, Other AUs to be included later, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Papyrus has Soul abilities too!, Petals has a Soul, Pitch me ideas if you want, SOME PERSONAL BELIEFS INVOLVED TO DRAMATIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF 'ME' BEING THERE INCLUDED, Sans is not a happy skelly, Sans is overworked af, Sans is the King, Sass for days, Slow Burn, Story takes place 10 years after, THESE BELIEFS ARE NOT TO DISRESPECT ANYONE ELSE'S BELIEFS AND ARE HERE FOR STORY PURPOSES ONLY, TRIGGER WARNINGS IN END NOTES, That'll change so don't worry, There will be trigger warnings later, They special and temporary, Undertale AU, X3, all the pairings just in case, any gore will remain light and without detail, are these tags too sassy?, author insert, big warnings at beginning notes - heads up, countertale world is our world if humans hadn't fucked it over, credit always given, feel the feels, first smut not until Arc 2, heads up, humans are asshats, humans wrecked earth - monsters did not cuz they environmentally friendly, i do question of the day at the bottom - please answer, i guess, i'm so proud of myself, kudos and comments plz, lol, meh whatever, slowish burn, teehee
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-25
Updated: 2018-10-06
Packaged: 2018-10-24 16:08:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 53
Words: 111,298
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10745130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RTNightmare/pseuds/RTNightmare
Summary: CounterTale: A world where monsters won the war, Frisk and Asriel freed the humans and are working to find peace between two races who only care about ripping each other apart, and because the humans successfully kidnapped the monster monarchy, Sans was magically chosen to take over. Ten years have passed since he was forcibly elected to lead and his brother is falling down and if his remaining family does die, he will give up and follow Papyrus.Earth 2017: I hate life. I always have. Coming home to a bitchy roommate who acts like everyone should kiss her ass, it's just too much. After a snap decision, I'm forced to run away. But the police aren't far behind and after a mistake, I am shot down and am at death's door.Just when all hope seems lost, Sans and I are both given hope. An unexpected visitor comes plummeting from the sky and invades the monster kingdom with sass and ridiculous drama, but ends up helping in ways that seemed impossible. As for me, I am transported to a world like that of the video game I have grown to love...with quite a few big differences that are unexpected. But regardless, I am given a new life, a new purpose, and have unlocked new powers. What could go wrong?





	1. FREE ME FROM THIS HELL!

**Author's Note:**

> **Important: I ask that you keep an open mind. I know author inserts and OCs are frowned upon, but I don't plan to make 'me' any different than how I actually am, which is pretty messed up if I'm being frank. If you can remain open minded, then I greatly appreciate it. When it is posted, if you have any suggestions for me, please let me know!**
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> The meaning behind the title for this story will be revealed eventually. It will take a bit of time to get there.
> 
> THE REAL STORY BEGINS!  
>  _If you see any errors, let me know!_
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> * * *
> 
> This story is currently 53 chapters written, but not edited fully. Please be patient while that is done.
> 
> I want to thank my betas: Rajani, Angela, Charlotte, Aurora, and my cousister, Zoe for their help with this. All of these lovely ladies help make this story wonderful! I cannot wait for you to read it!
> 
> The character, Rachel is depicted to be as true to my personality as possible, including all of my quirks, flaws, thought processes, and more. The goal is to have you respond to 'her' as people in my life respond to me. I am not easy to get along with, but when I do get along with others, hilarity ensues. 
> 
> In addition, a few of these characters might seem OOC. However, I hope that my writing will explain why this may seem this way. Someone's history or backstory can greatly impact how they act or were brought up. Keep that in mind while you read! In the end, a specific skeleton who will seem OOC to begin with should behave like we know in the game.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The adventure begins as we leave Earth and venture into another land!
> 
> Trigger warning for minor blood and suicide/suicidal themes.

I hated life on Earth. As a girl who loved magic; enjoyed and thrived by being different from everyone else, a world without magic and with too many people who shared my extremely common first and middle name, where the only time I felt remotely happy were in my dreams…

 

It’s safe to say life just plain sucked.

 

It also became clear that _bad luck_ followed me everywhere. But that wasn’t all! No one listened when I asked for help because they thought I exaggerated my problems just because of my heightened senses and emotions. Most humans are assholes for one reason or another; they let their personal feelings control how they treat others and don’t take accountability for the shit they do, which in turn affects those around them.

 

I was just unlucky enough to be born with heightened **everything** , so I was fucked emotionally and physically which ultimately becomes a recipe for disaster that I’m blamed for, even when it was not my fault.

 

And then, starting about three years ago, my parents kicked me out and sent me to an Adventure Therapy program in Utah. From there, I was sent from program to program. They were designed to further my _independence_. The sad part, however, was that not only did these programs not work for me, but my already messed up emotions and view of the world only became more twisted. My respect for my parents and everyone who they paid to help dropped like flies, especially when I receive confessions like, “Yes, we also realized that it was wrong the day we left you there.”

 

 **Really, Mom!** If you knew it was wrong, why was I there for _six months_? My emotional well-being decreased, my weight - which had been 154 pounds and good for a girl of 5’4 - increased back to 216 pounds, and I stopped caring because the faculty clearly didn’t care about me. I had been sent to the hospital twice because of the suicidal thoughts that were caused by stupid people not doing their job, at all.

 

What should I expect from a program who received over a million dollars per year and was still running after being sued because a client commit suicide while in their care? What I was trying to figure out is why I was still there after my parents found out! But with a less intelligent, controlling father and a Ivy League graduate, but pushover of a mother, it wasn’t hard to figure out.

 

And what happened when I decided that isolating was the only answer since these fucktards clearly knew **nothing** ? Let’s send her back to wilderness therapy. _Fuck you, asshole!_ And after wilderness, I went to Georgia, where I dealt with manipulation for over a year. That’s where this story begins.

 

Now, at the final stage of a program that I hope to be free from as soon as possible, I live in a program/parent-paid two-bedroom apartment with no laundry or dish-washing equipment, working a part-time job that drains me and leaves my feet horribly achy by the end of each four-hour shift, and constantly coming home to a messy house courtesy of an irritating roommate who acts like a selfish, little brat whenever she doesn’t get her way. Couple that with ignorant staff - who often blame me for my bitchy room mate’s mess - and parents who will never understand me since I’m not biologically theirs, and you have a recipe for disaster.

 

But you wouldn’t be reading this story if it was all doom and gloom. So, with the basics of my backstory laid out, let’s start with the evening everything changed...

 

 

 

Coming home from working a rare five-hour shift, my feet felt like death was nibbling enthusiastically at the breaking callouses. It didn’t matter if I walked on the balls of my feet or leaned back on the heels; it hurt like hell.

 

So, what do we learn from this? Well, _‘non-slip’_ shoes do not include ‘ _decreased-pressure-from-standing-in-place-for-long-periods-of-time’ shoes_.

 

I grumbled as I walked up to the door to my shared apartment, pulling back the glass screen door and lifting my key from where it hung clasped to my necklace. Fidgeting with the wonky lock, and thankful that I spent my own money to buy a new key that worked better than the original, I grunted as I finally forced the door open.

 

Removing my shoes immediately at the door, and dropping my backpack beside the couch, I ventured further towards the light from the kitchen. I could easily make out the sounds of pots, pans and other kitchenware in use through the thin, crappy walls. Before I could step further to get something to eat, I was knocked back.

 

“Oops! Sorry!” Ugh! Why couldn’t I have had the apartment to myself? I didn’t deserve this! Not after everything this shitty life had to _offer_ me and after all the effort I put into getting this far. This bitch was allowed to skip a step when I wasn’t.

 

“Please tell me that there’s at least one bowl and one plate that you haven’t used yet!” I growled.

 

“Oh…I was trying out a new dish, so it’s a mess. I had to use everything. I’m sorry.” That was a fake apology; no remorse at all to accompany the ‘you should kiss my shoes’ vibe she always had. Having dealt with this bitch’s conceited behavior one too many times, I was done.

 

I dropped all my stuff. “Really, Allie! You do not get to be moved up in the ranks, skipping the shit I had to go through, to living into this apartment with me, and wreck the place! I am not the housekeeper! I just finished working a five-hour shift at a job that requires standing the whole time in addition to stressing me the fuck out! Clean up your mess so I can eat and stop acting like you are above responsibility! I am too tired for this! This shit is literally why I wanted to live alone!”

 

“You know what?! Fuck you, Rachel! You think **you** are the only one with problems? You’ve been such a stuck up little bitch lately! You want a dish, go clean it yourself! Fuck you!”

 

There was no control; not that it mattered any more. My emotions were like an entity by themselves. Everyone always says ‘you control your emotions, not the other way around’. Fuck that bullshit! My emotions have always had a hold of me! Right now, that hold was too heavy and too tight! But I was too tired to care either way.

 

I didn’t regret it. I should have fought harder to stop the idiots in charge from letting this bratty bitch who I **knew** was a real whore into a shared space with me. I had been fighting for months to get my own space. Not even half a year to myself and I had to share again, and with someone who doesn’t clean up their damn mess, repeatedly steals food from me, and has brought back random guys to fuck with even though it’s against the rules.

 

No one knew the shit she got up to, and I didn’t have any ‘proof’ since I didn’t have the stomach to burst through the hastily locked door to catch them, so they didn’t believe me. A recording of her moaning was apparently ‘not enough’! They always blamed me, saying I was trying to get rid of her so I could have the space to myself.

 

The higher-ups have proven they don’t give a damn about me or what I have accomplished to get this far. They only care about the money they manipulate out of our parents. I knew better than to trust them, so I let my instincts take over, consequences be damned!

 

The sound of calloused flesh to flabby cheeks was loud and despite hurting my ears, worth it. After that, the little bitch shrieked loudly, leaving my ears burning, before starting to dramatically cry and blubber that, “You hit me!” For heaven’s sake! I kicked her down, placing a foot on her flabby belly.

 

“Shut yer fucking mouth, you stupid, selfish, cock-sucking bitch! You haven’t changed a damn bit! Still acting like a little whore who demands that everyone kiss your fat, ugly ass! Scream for _mummy and daddy_ when you don’t get yer way! I already have to deal with dipshits on a daily basis! I wanted to come ‘home’ and relax, but you are always here making things just so fucking unbearable. Why the hell am I here with someone so full of shit like you?!”

 

“Haa…haa…help me! Rachel slapped me!” She cried into the phone at her ear.

 

_“Okay, I’m on my way! Just leave the room!”_

 

“Wow! You will never change, will you? You will forever be a little cunt, crying for help when people shove you down for doing the bad shit you think you can get away with. I don’t know why I ever helped you. You are not worth it. But I guess I have yet to find someone who actually is around here…”

 

I left, walking upstairs to my room. I was still hungry, having had nothing since earlier that day. I felt my stomach eating itself, but I couldn’t even get out any of the snacks I had hidden in the bedside containment beside me, my mind too messed up to give instructions properly. It didn’t matter; I would be catching hell for this.

 

Not five minutes later and I could hear the front door unlocking. After a couple of unsuccessful attempts, I made out a collection of footsteps.

 

“Oh! She really did hit her! She’s never assaulted anyone!”

 

“I’ll get her.” Fuck! Wasn’t that asshat, Gabe, supposed to have gone home by now? Fuck you, luck!

 

It was useless to fight back, but maybe I could just end it all by jumping out the second story window. But considering the obstacles in the way and the relatively short distance to the ground, it would do no good. I hated pain, so a suicide attempt that would more than likely not work was out of the question.

 

My musing wasted the remaining time I had as my bedroom door was forced open roughly.

 

“Rachel, do you realize what you’ve done?”

 

I looked at him, my expression dead. The man had been in the police force, the army, and more, I had been told. He had killed thousands of people. Now, however, he visibly flinched when our gazes connected.

 

“I could ask you the same question, _Gabe_. I guess that’s just what happens when a bunch of ignorant fools don’t listen to the true cries of desperation. At least if I’m kicked out of this wretched place, I won’t have to deal with your sick attitudes and lack of real psychological knowledge that would actually help people like me. See you in hell, fucktard!”

 

He ignored my words. “You’ll be going to jail for assaulting another person, Rachel.”

 

The change was instantaneous. One moment, everything about me was dead and empty; numb. The next, the instinct to defend myself, to kill if necessary, had taken over; hatred.

 

“Like hell I will!”

 

I wasn’t fast enough, of course, his arms moving to restrain me even though that was against the rules of the program. But, I was prepared. I jammed my key into his arm and once it loosened, I plunged it into his eye. I ran out and down the awkward steps as fast as possible as the almost inhuman scream shook the walls.

 

I cringed at the volume and stumbled, missing the next step and haphazardly tumbling down the remainder. I grunted at the bottom, the adrenaline helping me up despite the incredible pain in my hip, elbow, and knee. Pulling on my shoes with inhuman speed, I eyed my Nerf gun, abandoned but fully loaded on the couch within an arm’s reach away. Hoisting the loaded gun up, I pocketed the second full magazine and grabbed a handful of extra Styrofoam-and-plastic bullets to shove into my pocket.

 

I left without my backpack, the only items I had on my person besides the Nerf equipment were the items I came from work with: my phone, which was in my other pocket that still had a battery life of 70% and my Bluetooth headphones around my neck. I glanced back one more time to see Lena, the female mentor whom Allie had called, starting to advance. I was out the door and on the sidewalk running before she had cleared the distance.

 

Ten seconds later, I was running down the street in the darkening twilight. I heard police cars in the distance, and tried to think. Closing my hoodie, I shifted the Nerf gun inside and hoped it looked natural. The black of the hoodie helped with the coming darkness. Since I always wore black, it was perfect. I used my equally dark, yet unnaturally colored hair to shield my face.

 

My phone began to buzz, and I flinched. I pulled it out briefly and grit my teeth at the caller ID: Mom. The woman hadn’t acted like a real mother in years. Neither of my adopted parents had known what to do with me since I finished high school. With mandatory schooling done, I was always at home. College was awful and I dropped out after a year of that. Then my parents sent me away to a program to ‘help me’. It was their way of saying they didn’t want to deal with me anymore. It was their way of saying they gave up.

 

I knew better than to believe they had any better intentions. Too lazy to make a better choice, too controlling to hear me out, too stupid to know what to do, even though it was so fucking obvious. They had failed as parents, and I wholeheartedly hoped they would regret it.

 

“You’re not my mother, stupid bitch!” I hissed at the unanswered phone as I declined the call. I put the settings onto airplane mode and slid it back into my pocket. “You gave that up when you let your stupid husband have his way.” I grimaced. “I thought you understood, but I guess you’re too afraid of confrontation to disagree with the dumbass.” I growled. “You are both failures.” I spat.

 

I came to a road that was nearly invisible. It was a hidden driveway, so if I had trouble seeing it, hopefully the police would too.

 

I continued walking until my bedtime alarm went off. Shit, my medications were back at the apartment. I wouldn’t be sleeping tonight. Come to think of it, I had nothing. My wallet was in my backpack, my computer was on the dining room table, and all my valuables except my phone, headphones, Nerf equipment, the apartment key, and the clothes I wore were back at the apartment, which was probably surrounded by officers by then.

 

I sighed, my breathing heavy with budding tears. I grit my teeth, but they already began to fall.

 

Everything had gone to shit within the last couple years, more so than before. I held my breath and listened for a moment before exhaling and putting my earbuds in. Syncing the devices, I opened my FancyMusic app and turned on “[Determination](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnLdQR36AqI)”, a song that was originally by Fall Out Boy, called “[Irresistible](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPq9LM_2Jcg)”, but was changed to match Sans’ fight from the genocide route in the game Undertale, sung by Djsmell and Lollia as Sans and Chara.

 

When the lyrics began, I mouthed along.

 

_Count me in unannounced, drag our friends on the tile_

_I just follow your trail_

_You can't just follow my smile_

_All of your sins are aligned with this mood of mine_

_Cutting me to the bone_

_Nothing left to leave behind_

_You outta reset right now, just like it never happened._

_I didn't come for a fight but I will fight till the end_

_And this one might be your battle, might not turn out okay_

_I know you think you can kill me, but you’ve already lost the gaaaaAAAA_

_AAAAAA_

_AAAAAA_

_AAAAAA_

_AAAAME_

 

I glared at the unpaved road ahead of me as I walked on. My emotions were synced with the song, as they always were. Music was a guide for me, and while the music sometimes had a sad or angry tone, it always fueled me.

 

_And I LOVE the way you “hurt” me_

_It’s DETERMINATION, oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on trying_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on dying_

 

The music ran through me, and I imagined it enveloping my ‘Soul’ entirely. I had begun making motions so that my frustration was kept within me, boiling my insides. I knew that was unhealthy. The Nerf equipment inside my coat was in the perfect position so that it wouldn’t fall.

 

_I'm gonna break you to pieces just like you were your brother_

_Gonna kill you again, just like you killed your own mother_

_You’re a fool with no past, say goodbye to your future_

_Pay the fee, do it kid, I'm talking no inflation_

_Too many stab wounds and not enough items_

_Too much time in the hall, I feel my sins start to crawl_

_Too many freaks not enough blood in the game._

_You know I’d give your LOVE a four letter name._

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

 

The headlights of a random car flashed past, behind me, caught in my peripheral, and I flinched before continuing on. I needed to be careful.

 

_And I LOVE the way you “hurt” me_

_It’s DETERMINATION, oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on trying_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on dying_

 

I didn’t let myself speculate what would happen when they found me. They would, clearly. It was only a matter of what I would do and, possibly, how long it took. I did have one idea...

 

_You kill me again._

_Again and again._

_But I come back knowing so much more_

_Learning all your tricks_

_I’ll make you sick, cause the truth is Sans,_

_I’ll make you QUIT_

 

I briefly stopped and looked up at the sky, stars visible between blankets of heavily fluff, dyed blue by night and visible in the light of the moon. I ignored the single tear as it dripped down, only wiping it away when I decided to keep going.

 

_Try to stay frisk, please just stay frisk_

_You’re still good good, admit to this_

_Don’t fight anymore, it’s such a snore_

_One more step, and I'll make it war_

_I still LOVE the way I “hurt” you,_

_It’s DETERMINATION, oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

 

I shivered, the breeze blowing through my empty core. Without nourishment, I might freeze in this colder weather. Stupid Georgia and it’s stupid, crazy weather patterns.

 

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on trying_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on dying…_

 

My bad luck always had perfect timing. As the song ended, the music fading out was replaced with the fading in sound of footsteps behind me.

 

“I think I found her! Bring the cruiser to–”

 

“Shit!” I whipped out the Nerf gun and triggered it once, firing.

 

“She’s armed!” He pulled out a real gun and I yelped as pain bloomed from my torso.

 

With the help of jump-started adrenaline, I ignored it and triggered the gun again, aiming towards the flashlight. I emptied the gun five times and was pleasantly surprised to hear a grunt after every time.

 

“Sir, she’s got a Nerf gun! But I shot her and she’s bleeding. She’s shooting me now!”

 

I emptied out the two remaining before dropping the empty magazine and pulling out the second full one and loading it.

 

There was another shot from another direction and I felt it whiz past my face. I screamed, turning and shooting two before I realized there was no more grunting. They were closing in and I was missing the targets.

 

“Do not shoot! Call an ambulance! Disarm and neutralize her.”

 

I threw the toy gun at the speaker and was mildly relieved at the loud grunt that signaled a successful impact. Hissing at the pain in my side, I didn’t stop. Two more shots and my legs almost buckled from the slight graze.

 

I was losing too much blood. No, don’t black out!

 

I looked ahead into the darkness and prayed that I could escape. I was surprised that my adrenaline hadn’t run out, and that I hadn’t gone into shock.

 

“Lady, yer not gonna be able ta escape from us with those injuries!” Drawled a native southerner. “I own this property! Come quietly and we can talk this out after you receive medical help!”

 

Shit! So that’s how they found me! Fuck! Fuck! **Fuck!**

 

I just ignored the man.

 

“Lady, don’t go over there! There’s a cliff!”

 

“Good!” I shouted. “Then I can finally die in peace!”

 

The man cursed and suddenly, I was grabbed. I used the only weapon I still had and dug the key into his arm as hard as I could. Like before, human instincts won over the man and I was free.

 

“Damnit! She’s headin’ fer the cliff!” I could see it, too! And the water in the distance!

 

But I didn’t make it in time. The officer had better accuracy than he had hoped and shot me in the back.

 

“Shit!”

 

I stumbled to the edge and fell forward, my fingers clutching the edge, my glasses falling down my nose to the ground beside me.

 

I looked out at the water ahead of me as my blurred vision dimmed to black. This was wrong! Dying **here** was wrong!

 

“…no. I’m not ready…” I gasped.

 

I tasted the salt and sweetness of blood as it past my lips. I realized I was shivering.

 

“Damnit…th-this wasn’t-t-t-t s-s-sup-” I coughed, the red fluid coating my windpipe.

 

“Nnnn…”

 

My body was completely numb. My senses were no longer functional, and in the dim silence, even the taste of blood was finally going. My body was going cold, a chill that had nothing to do with temperature.

 

My last thoughts echoed, _Please, Mother Och…help me._

 

~I’m here, dear. Hold on.~

 

All my senses returned with a flash of white-blue light that sprouted from me and encased me in a warm but blinding glow. I opened my eyes, vision fully restored despite my glasses being absent, to find the source and found it on my chest, in the direct center. A perfect circle, glowing a blinding white with a hint of blue around the edges, and surrounded by something akin to electricity. It was familiar to me, as I had spent many times dreaming about it.

 

The circle was my Soul Symbol, a symbol unique to me alone. With the blue of my aura surrounding me, I felt at peace.

 

The energy surrounding me seeped gently into my wounds and neutralized the pain, though, unfortunately, did not stop the bleeding. I found myself standing and looking at a group of shell-shocked officers, some blocking their eyes as they were too overpowered by the light emitting from the circle on my chest. I felt at peace, not bothering to acknowledge the men surrounding me.

 

 _~ W h a t  i s  y o u r  w i s h?_ _~_

 

“I want to leave this world and go to a place where I will belong.”

 

A ghost of a smile was my only answer before vertigo took hold and I was suddenly rocketing into the sky, the electrical energy carrying my limp form away into the sky and beyond, almost like a pair of wings. With the gaining speed, my surroundings begun to speed past me too fast for me to comprehend. I closed my eyes as the pressure of what must certainly feel like sailing through space, changing and altering as if the space around me was shifting caused my head to pound.

 

My speed slowed and opening my eyes, I could make out individual shapes in the darkness. I was falling from the sky towards what looked like an enormous mass that I presumed was a building as lights twinkled from multiple levels and continued around the base of it.

 

I smashed into the dirt hard in front of it, bouncing a bit before coming to a stop face up, lidded eyes taking in the image of a night sky and a tall stone structure with various yellow light fixtures. The night was soon filled with the sounds of dogs barking and metal clanking together.

 

“What is it?” A woman called worriedly.

 

“It’s looks like a human!” A male answered sternly.

 

“Why did they fall from the sky?” A different male rumbled.

 

“I don’t know, but look!” The first male said matter-of-factly. “That red is blood! They have been injured.”

 

“OUT OF THE WAY, ALL OF YOU!” A rough female voice commanded. That voice felt familiar, which was odd because it would make more sense for it to _sound_ familiar. But I knew I never met nor heard this person before.

 

“Captain, this human fell from the sky in a bolt of lightning!”

 

“What do you mean, bolt of lightning?”

 

“Like a lightning storm, but the sky was clear. And it was only one bolt of lightning that struck, and she came with it!”

 

“That’s not possible!” The captain growled.

 

“Look, her clothes are still smoking! And she’s covered in blood!”

 

“Move! Let me see!”

 

“Captain, what should I tell the king?”

 

"I’ll tell the grumpy nerd when I’m finished looking! Let me make sure she’s safe first. As the captain of his majesty’s army, I gotta make sure that this isn’t a trap."

 

I groaned and managed to force one eye open wider. Once in focus, with restored sight, the intimidating form of the Royal Guard’s Captain Undyne filled my vision.

 

I gasped softly and huffed a short laugh, drawing the attention of the captain and guard dogs nearby. “Undyne? K-9 Unit? Wow, so you **are** real…” It was barely audible, but the fish woman heard and flinched.

 

I chuckled softly. “Sorry ‘bout freaking...you out! I’ll explain later…I jus’…heh, I can’t think straight...”

 

With those final words, everything went black.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is an author-insert, but I will be making myself as realistic to me as possible.


	2. WELL, THAT’S QUITE UNEXPECTED!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel awakens to new circumstances, in a world that is both similar and different to what she expected after the events of the last chapter. Let us delve into a bit of the history of this Undertale AU a bit, shall we? Be prepared for sass, overused puns, and more!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  _Plain italics_ (without quotes/not dialogue) are Rachel's broadcasted thoughts only. If they are not italicized, or not being spoken, it means the others didn't hear it or Rachel isn't using telepathy/it's emphasis for something else.
> 
> Some **bold** are puns, others are emphasis. Watch out for those! ;)
> 
> "all lower case dialogue" is Sans.
> 
> "Dialogue with petnames like nerd, punk, etc." is Undyne.
> 
> "Dialogue that is more well-mannered and is followed by" something related to squeakiness is the Nurse, whose name will be give next chapter.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Forgive me if there are any typos or errors. If you do not understand something, please leave a comment below. Images of the characters are coming soon! :)

I often dreamed of strange place and weird occurrences. The concepts were often logical and illogical, or maybe just a bizarre kind of logic - like everything started off making sense before something threw it out of balance, often in an appealing way.

 

My dreams were vivid, color, and always included me - which I believe is common for most people - and had me feeling a great desire to keep dreaming even when I was already conscious. But when my dreams involved fictional crushes being _romantically appealing_ , that only increases my desire to stay in _Mystic Sleepy Land_ , as my first psychiatrist had dubbed it.

 

“She’s waking up, sir!” An elderly, almost squeaky, female informed someone nearby. Her voice reminded me a bit of the annoying therapist I had in wilderness therapy who used the word ‘mousy’ to describe her voice. It also reminded me of Remy from Ratatouille, at the film’s beginning, when he was trying to communicate to his brother while the old lady attempted to exterminate them. This woman's voice sounded like a slightly less squeaky, far easier understand version of Remy when it was from the old lady’s perspective.

 

“hmm, about time!” Oh geez, that voice. Deep...and sexy, like honey if it were vocal. I had a feeling of who this was, but no! It couldn’t be…

 

“Your high–”

 

“nope. none of that.”

 

“Sorry, Sans.” Damnit, I was right! “Uh, what was I about to say…oh, right! Should we leave you two alone to talk?”

 

“Hey, I’m not leavin’ our king with an outsider! Besides, she’s a _human_!”

 

_Don’t you fucking dare call me such an insulting thing...just no! Human are asshats. Don’t associate me with them just because I look like them! At least I’m not as selfish as the majority of those jerks!_

 

“Oh really?” Undyne projected towards me, indicating she had turned in my direction. “Then **what** are you?”

 

_What. WHAT?! Did I say that out loud?_

 

“Yeah, you did!”

 

“No, she didn’t!” The squeaky-voiced individual spoke up. “Watch her when she speaks! She’s not moving her lips! Am I the only one who noticed that her voice is coming from everywhere and nowhere?”

 

_Welp, now my thoughts are being broadcasted._

 

There was a guttural gasp and a whisper that sounded like, “Mage!”

 

_Ugh! Really, Fate, Life? Telepathy I can’t control? Fuck my life! This is not what I had in mind…oh, pun not intended! Fuck!_

 

There was a snort, shortly followed by snickering.

 

“Quite the foul-mouth you have!” The squeaky female tutted.

 

 _Whatever, I’m allowed to be pissed off by all the shit_ Life _has thrown at me. I feel all kinds of awful right now! Pain is a_ **_jerk_ ** _! I don’t do well with it, even when there’s only a little – call me a wimp if you want, but I was ‘born this way’. Crap, damnit, shit! Now that song is gonna be stuck in my head for the next couple minutes at least. Damn, how the hell am I alive after being shot multiple times. Man, police officers can go fuck themselves!_

 

“Are you gonna stop rambling, human?”

 

 _Blame my mentality and whoever thought it was a good idea to give me uncontrollable telepathy! Oh, I_ **_did_ ** _say I hate that term, didn’t I?_

 

“What do you mean mentality?” The mousy voice questioned.

 

“And what do **you** have against humans?” Undyne asked, sounding truly curious.

 

_For the first, I have been labeled ‘mentally disabled’ by humans. And to answer Undyne, I personally think humans should be extinct for all the damage they have done and still do to the world I came from, including the people and creatures in it. I try to be understanding, but noooooooo! Other people gotta shove their shitty, narrow-minded, egotistical crap down mine and others’–_

 

“stop talking. i’m getting a headache.”

 

_Sorry…my anxiety is getting to me. Breathe, Rachel. It’ll be okay._

 

“so, your name is rachel?” Ohhhh, say my name again, sexy boy!

 

_Nothing! I mean, eyyyyyup, and I’m from another world that is completely populated by humans and other matter-based animals._

 

“hang on, matter-based? you act as though we aren’t.”

 

_Ooooooooooh, I dun fucked up, didn’t I? Weeeeell, I guess there’s no point in secrets. I would hate to lie to monsters anyway. I know who you are. Or at least, I know Undyne since she’s the captain of the Royal Guard and shi–stuff. I haven’t opened my eyes yet, but I’m assuming by your tone, and given that Madam Squeakers over there said it already, you are Sans the Skeleton. Am I wrong?_

 

The mousey woman harrumphed, but said nothing.

 

“yup. but if you are from another world, how would you know that?”

 

_Let’s just say I’m not the only one from that world who knows about you. Millions do by now! I came a bit late to the party since it came out about two years ago, in September of 2015, I think, and I wasn’t near the internet at the time, so I didn’t hear about it until sometime later, actually. Thank VariantArt for the lovely fan art that peaked my curiosity._

 

“What party? What’s VariantArt? What fan art? Spit it out or I’ll gut you!”

 

_Rude! Fine, though! That’s…I dunno if you’d call it ‘a figure of speech’ or…uh, let me just ask a question, or this might be ten times harder to explain. Do you know what video games are?_

 

“yeah. they’re digital games that usually have a level system and stats for characters. is that what ya mean?”

 

_Bingo! So you guys no doubt have your own video games that people are fans of, right?_

 

“Yeah, Mew Mew Kissy Cutie is one my wife likes the most! I’m more into action and adventure, though.”

 

_Ohhhh! You and Alphys are hitched! That’s awesome!_

 

Undyne gasped. “How-”

 

 _Anywho, that’s cool! So Mew Mew exists here, too! This will be a lot easier. Let’s just say that in the world I’m from, you are all characters who are part of a video game. It is called_ _Undertale_ _._

 

There was a few seconds of silence, until, “explain.”

 

_Right, right. So, in Undertale, humans and monsters once roamed the surface together. One day, they went to war and the humans won._

 

“What?” Undyne snapped. “No they didn’t, punk!”

 

_Ohhhh, so there are some differences. Le sigh! Well, looks like I fell into an AU. Let’s see what else is different._

 

“au?”

 

 _It’s short for ‘alternate universe’. Anywho, in_ **_Undertale_ ** _, monsters were locked underground. Some backstory happens with the first human, Chara, falling and being adopted by King Asgore and Queen Toriel. Which, judging by what I heard upon first waking up, there seems to be a few more differences than just who won, and whatnot._

 

“yeah, chara was a kid who was in hiding during the war and escaped. they tried to steal the spell necessary to break the barrier asgore put to keep the humans down, and thankfully failed. they were executed as a result.”

 

_Shit, damn! Brutal much! Anywho, Asgore and Toriel’s son, Asriel befriended them and they were like siblings. But one day, Chara got sick and died. Asriel took their Soul and brought their body through the barrier to the human village nearby. He was attacked by angry humans and returning to underground, turned to dust on his father’s flower garden._

 

“Shit, really?”

 

“Don’t you start cursing, too, Captain! It’s not nice!”

 

“I’m an adult. I’ll curse if I want to, lady! ‘Sides, our king swears, too!”

 

“don’t pull me into this, ‘dyne.”

 

The fish woman harrumphed.

 

 _Your banter is very_ **_humerus_ ** _. Badum-tsh!_

 

Snort. And seconds later, a wheeze, “oh, stars…” Muffled chuckling ensues.

 

_Awww yeah, about a year and a half and I feel comfortable enough to dish out puns. And one of my life goals has come true! I got the pun master to laugh. Score!_

 

“shut up and continue the story.” Serious Sans reactivated.

 

 _Sheesh, why can’t I have a victory just once! Well, are you at the edge of your seat, Undyne? Wiggle wiggle!_ I tried to flex the muscles of my eyebrows up and down, but wasn’t sure if I could in my current state. _Okay, I can’t physically wiggle my eyebrows because I don’t have the flexibility like others do! Just shut up…ugh, whatever! You get it! Answer the question._

 

Another helpless snort. “yeah, she’s been _reeled_ in!”

 

_Yes! Oh my goooooosh! I would hug you, but I can’t move!_

 

“don’t test my patience.” What the fuck is up with that?

 

_How bipolar are you, Sans? And yes, as someone who has bipolar, I am allowed to make fun! It’s a thing I can do! Especially if you are gonna try ‘breaking my heart’! Damnit, another song! Ugh, back on track. Uuuuuuuuuh, with both his biological and adopted children dead, Asgore declared war on the humans and said that all humans who fall will have their Souls taken to remove the barrier. Toriel was against it, as they could have solved the problem with only one Soul, like Asriel did._

 

_Going to the surface and getting six more would have been easier, but Asgore chose not to. And so, she left him and fled to the ruins where humans would fall. Seven Souls were necessary, and by the time the game starts, six humans with different Soul traits have been taken._

 

_Frisk is the ‘true name’ of the seventh human, but you can name them whatever. As Frisk, you go through the underground making choices that will impact how the game proceeds. And if you die, you come back with Frisk’s Determination. However, one thing that makes me sad is that a lot of players take turns doing all the routes. The main routes are Neutral, Pacifist, and Genocide._

 

“genocide sounds bad.”

 

_It is. It’s a monster killing spree. I would never do it. I suck at video games that require specific movements instead of just logic anyway. But even if I could successfully play, I wouldn’t kill anyone of them…uh, I mean...you. Whatever! Toby Fox was the creator, and he was smart. He created a game where the player had a choice, not just ‘do this to win’. It made people think about their choices. And then…man, the fandom! The fandom was how I really got into it since the fandom created a lot of content based off of Undertale and it was so fun to go through all of it. But...there are so many genocidal fan pieces. It hurt so much!_

 

“Did ya ever finish the game, nerd?”

 

_Heh, nope. I, uh…my computer got messed up, so I had to wipe it. All the data for the Save that I had was gone after that. I decided I’d just watch playthroughs. But I only really watched Pacifist. In Pacifist, the toughest fight is Flowey who is a Soulless monster - backstory is interesting. In Genocide, the toughest fight is Sans who is right before the king, who I think just lets himself get killed. Sans is an interesting fight since even though he only has 1HP, he dodges until he’s too tired and falls asleep._

 

“good thing i don’t have 1hp in this realm then.”

 

_Oh, I guess because the monsters weren’t the ones who lost that that makes sense. So, the game ends with either the world being destroyed by Chara, who basically was residing within Frisk and acts as navigator and narrator for the player the whole time in all routes, and turned evil because of the LV gain, or with the monsters being freed and going to the surface with Frisk potentially becoming the ambassador for monsters. Although, Neutral Route is kinda like ‘you didn’t quite finish the game’. You go from Neutral to Pacifist, I think. I’m not sure of anything else. The game is...hard for me to watch since the graphics are..._

 

“this sounds like something i want to learn more about. i’m still not convinced that this is a real thing. you could be lying.”

 

_I hate lying! Integrity would be my Soul Trait, as was confirmed when I left the other world. I wish I could…show you the game and stuff. But I’m both so tired and I don’t have anything besides my phone, which is probably dead. Let me sleep a bit more and then I’ll…see what I can do. Who knew thinking so much could be so exhausting._

 

With waning consciousness, the sound of that amused snort was the last thing I heard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed! Kudos and comments appreciated!
> 
>  
> 
> **I'll do a prize of spoilers (given when asked 4 questions) to the first person who can find ALL the references in this chapter. This story is on here and DeviantArt, so get on that if you want a chance to win.**


	3. WHEN THEY SAY ‘BROADEN YOUR MIND AND OPEN YOUR EYES TO ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES’, I’M PRETTY SURE THEY DIDN’T MEAN IT TO BE SO LITERAL!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this new world, Rachel finds comfort in some, while being especially sassy towards others. It is a matter of sanity while in a fragile state. But what happens when her body starts responding, some of which being in ways that are entirely new. And what happens when she finds out the truth of the current king's brother?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SASSY TITLE IS SASSY! And there will be plenty more where that came from...;9
> 
> Apologies for any typos or other errors. Let me know if I missed any.

I regained the same level of consciousness seven more times before any notable changes to my health occurred. However, each of those times I was  **unable**  to function past the weird uncontrollable telepathy, so activities like being fed required outside assistance.  
  


In addition, each of the seven times, I would engage in conversations, which often consisted of strange, silly, or funny banter, with either the squeaky-voiced woman Mus Nutrix, a nurse and healer of sorts whom Sans referred to as just Trix, and Undyne, Dogaressa, whom had been there when I arrived, and at least twice, with Sans. But he was always accompanied by at least one of the two guards.  
  


But wow, our banter was interesting...  
  


_Y’know, when I imagined meeting the UT cast for the first time, I didn’t think I’d be so incapacitated. Why is my life so royally screwed up?_

  
“i don’t know. why don’t you stop whining so you can be healed already. trix keeps buggin’ me about how much time this is taking and i’m pretty sure your constant mind-chatter isn’t helping. if you aren’t human, can’t you just heal yourself?” Ugh, I could hear the smile. Sassy bastard being smug.

_  
My, my, what a gentleman you are. Sooooo **considerate**  of the fact that I have no idea how to heal. I had a magical encounter once, with a bolt of lightning that I’m pretty damn sure I had no control of. So, according to our conversion, I  **ass** ume you see it like 'Lesson one: travel by lightning' is  **complete**! Now it’s time for 'Lesson two: heal the bullet wounds inflicted by human police officers'! Now that shouldn’t be too hard. After all, lightning-based travel is harder to do, even if I wasn’t the one in control. And even though you don’t know how you did it, you’ll be  **fine**. C’mon, Rachel! You can do it! Ha, ha,  **no**! That’s not how it works…ever. Unless you’re extremely lucky, which I’m definitely not! Boo hoo._

  
"you are quite the sassy lady, aren’t cha?”

  
_Well, duh! I mean, think about it! When life gives you lemons and other annoying, irritating, unnecessary shit, you need to find a way to cope. When someone starts being an ass, I like to do them one better and add an extra ‘S’ at the beginning that stands for ‘you SUCK’ and ‘SCREW you’! Make sense? Wow, if only I had thought to tell_ _**them**  that. I can just imagine the look of their faces. Priceless!_

  
“well, i have to admit. you are  **humerus**.”

_  
Thank you soooo much! That is so nice of you! I wish I could see what expression you guys are making, though. Except that if I do see you, I might lose the remainder of my nerve._

  
“Why’s that, punk?”

  
_The only thing keeping me talking and sane - to a point, mind you - instead of freaking out because- HEY, I’M ACTUALLY TALKING WITH THE UNDERTALE PEEPS, HOLY SHIT -is my lack of vision. If I had to look at you guys while I speak, I’d be a mess within moments. Damnit, having no filter really sucks! I need to start distracting myself more. This is awkward! Okay…okay…think! Let me try humming! Nope, vocal cords are currently_ _**not attached**! Uh, I can try humming in my head, but I gotta refrain from–_

  
The first song to pop into my head was Megalovania.

  
_GOD DAMNIT! Dodo-do-do-dododo-dododo!_ _Dodo-do-do-dododo-dododo!_ _Dodo-do-do-dododo-dododo!_  
  


“that’s my theme! why are you humming my theme?”

  
_Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuckfuck! Think of something else! It doesn’t matter what! Just not Undertale!_

  
“Sans, I think–”

  
_NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO! SHUT THE FUCK UP, UNDYNE!_

  
The fish woman guffawed.

  
“Okay, I take it back! I’m starting to like this punk! She’s hilarious!”

  
I moaned. Wait, I actually moaned! I focused on the feeling. I found my vocal cords. I tried to force out more words, but ended up coughing.

_  
C’mon, work! Please!_

  
With the coughing, I could feel more. I tensed my shoulders, then my arms, my face and hands at the same time. My chest, stomach, thighs, and down to my toes.

  
_Okay, I can feel. Again! Ow, this hurts!_

  
Everyone was silent for a full ten minutes as I coached myself through repeatedly tensing my worn-out muscles. In the end, I could move little bits. I was sore and feeling gross from lack of proper hygiene. Oh, and I could  **feel** my own waste.

  
_Damnit, I’m actually lying in a puddle of my own pee and poop. Oh, that is so gross! As soon as I can get up, I am going to need a bathroom._

  
“Uh, what are pee and poop for again?” God damnit, Undyne!

  
I moaned.  _Fuck my life!_

  
  
  
It was another day before I could move enough to attempt getting up to bathe. Oddly enough, my eyes were still too heavy to open. I stopped struggling with them and began relying on sound and touch.

  
“Are you sure you don’t need help, little pup?” Dogaressa inquired.

  
“Y-yeah,” I replied roughly, hacking to get my throat clear. “Since yer a dog,” I choked a bit, “Y-you have a keen s-sense,” More coughing, “of smell.”

  
“If you have trouble talking, use that telepathy.”

  
_Okay, what I’m trying to say is that I smell awful. I’m covered in disgusting fluids and stuff that I am supposed to get rid of a few times daily. So, I don’t want you to smell that because you’ll be grossed out and I’ll be embarrassed._

  
“I understand and promise not to judge you. Regardless of what the others believe, I trust you. I saw that bolt of lightning and as a dog, my instincts are telling me you are being truthful. Maybe more truthful than you’d like to be.”

_  
Yeah, my projected thoughts are…uh, whatever. At least I’m getting better control of that. You promise you won’t judge me by the awful smell?_

  
“Yes, dear.”

  
_Don’t let Sans near me either until I’m clean._

  
“I can tell you like him.” She teased.

  
_Shit! Does he know?_

  
“No. When you stopped Undyne, he looked at her like she was crazy. He even asked me what she meant and I told him I didn’t know.”

_  
Thank you. I’m not sure what’s worse: Undyne being friendly to me and trying to embarrass me because of that or Sans finding out when he doesn’t really know me. Sure, we talk. Or I guess he talks and I...think, but I haven’t been here long enough to be anything more than an acquaintance to any of you. And knowing your story, I understand that due to my appearance, I am still considered the enemy._

  
“I think everyone who comes into your presence on a daily basis is starting to like you. Your personality is quite different than what we are used to. Mettaton and Sans himself are the only ones who are sassy enough to compete. Though, when Sans became the new king after Asgore and Toriel were...taken, all of his silliness and sass disappeared. And after what happened to Papyrus, he’s all-serious all the time. You actually brought out a side to him we haven’t seen in years.”

   
_What do you mean?! What happened to Papyrus?! Is he okay? No, no, no! The humans didn’t…they didn’t…oh god…_

  
“He’s still alive. But after the battle that ended with the capture of the king and queen, Papyrus was found unconscious in the throne room. We know he was stationed there to protect Asgore and Toriel. Because of his failure, we think the despair was too much, and he Fell Down. He’s still here, and Madam Mus tends to him regularly. But his time is running out, and we’re not sure if losing his brother might be too much for Sans to cope with, given that he is already so depressed by being king.”

  
_Can you bring me to Papyrus? After I’m clean, that is. Maybe I can help. I dunno if I can do anything, but maybe I can figure something out._  
  


“I’ll ask permission from Sans. He doesn’t let anyone near Papyrus without permission first.”  
  


_I…okay. But I doubt he’ll let me. I want to try, though! I don’t think I could ever forgive myself if I found out I was capable of helping him and I let the chance pass me by._  
  


“I’ll see what I can do. The bath is ready to your left and the shower is to your right if you want to wash off first. Will you be alright on your own?”  
  


_Yeah, I just need clothes. If you have long pants with pockets, a 44DDD or 44F bra, extra large tank top or t-shirt, and a large hoodie – all black or with blue – that would be great._  
  


“I will look. I’m sure Undyne has some things. And some of the other monsters might have clothes that would work. I’m not sure what you mean by D’s and F’s, but I will look.”  
  


_Oh, sorry! That’s my breast size. A’s are the smallest and I don’t know what the biggest are. But I’m pretty big, so…uh. Sorry, awkward again. Interesting how around the people I dealt with back ‘home’, I had very little shame on purpose. Now, I’m not trying to say these…weird things. Ugh!_  
  


The dog monster chuckled. “Not to worry, little pup! I understand. I can use the clothes you came here in for reference.”  
  


_Thank you!_  
  


As soon as she left, I undressed and stepped into the shower. Feeling around, I felt for the nozzle. Instead, I hit the lever to turn the water on. I let out of guttural shriek as I was assaulted with cold, feeling around in hopes that I could change the temperature.  
  


“What the hell was that? You okay in there?”  
  


_Yeah, I still can’t open my eyes, so I was feeling for the – ohhhhh, that’s better! Fixed it! It’s warm now!_  
  


I heard a chuckle.  
  


_Can you see me?_  
  


“Nope, didn’t see nothin’!”  
  


_You do know that’s another way of saying ‘I saw everything’, right?_  
  


“Whatever, punk! I’m not interested! I’ve already got Alphys!”  
  


_God damnit, Undyne!_

  
The fish guffawed as she walked away. I groaned as I held onto the railing placed inside the shower and turned around to wipe the areas where grime and other nasty things caked onto my flesh.

  
As I washed, I felt a weird buzzing in my head. It was like my phone was buzzing in a drawer that was locked. I couldn’t get to the buzzing thing without the key. And it kept going off, buzzing and just making me frustrated.

  
Since it wouldn’t stop on its own, I tried to manually make it stop by any physical means that I could think of; I scrunched my face, lightly hit the side of my head, bobbed my skull this way and that, anything I could think of to make it stop.

  
_Ugh, just stop buzzing!_ _**Release it!** _

  
And just like that, everything changed. My senses extended out, even as I stayed motionless. My eyes were still closed, but I could see everything.

  
I had always had more to my senses than just the five original senses. But my sixth sense was more an extension of my ability to feel things mentally, so when close, felt strange, or was off or wrong, I instinctively react to it.

  
With heightened senses, it was  **not**  like how filmmakers portrayed it in movies. There were no inverted colors or black and white to show an extended layout or anything. Nothing about my sight changed; it was about what I could feel within me and see through my mind from the senses I had available.  
 

I could hear every subtle change, smell things that  **should**  be too far away to pick up, and opening my mouth, I could taste what I could only describe as worry, hostility, fear, and compassion. I could only imagine what I could see once my eyes were open.

  
It was overwhelming for the first five seconds and then it felt normal. It was so easy to adjust. I smiled, feeling proud of myself. Returning to the task of attaining good hygiene was a lot easier now that my senses enabled me to see without my eyes. And when I finished and made sure all traces were flushed down the drain, I hopped into the bath that was scented with vanilla and another odor I couldn’t identify but liked. It was great.

  
“I found you some clothes. How are you doing?”

_  
Um, I’ll be honest. Something crazy happened while I was showering, and now all my senses are super heightened and I can sense things mentally. Like, I know where you are now even with my eyes closed. It was like I opened a locked box in my head and everything to do with my senses was unleashed full force. And it was only weird for like five seconds before it felt natural._

  
“Well now, that’s wonderful news. Can you open your eyes yet?”

  
No, they’re still being stubborn and heavy. But I think I will be able to soon. I’m feeling giddy just thinking about it.

  
“Oh, that’s wonderful!”

_  
So, can I see Papyrus?_

  
“Oh, well…”

  
_He said no, didn’t he?_

  
“Unfortunately, yes. I couldn’t get much out before he told me to get back to work. He practically shouted it at me, too. I’m sorry, dear.”

  
_It’s fine. I’m sorry you got yelled at! I hope Pap gets better. Someone who is as sweet and pure as him doesn’t deserve to…_

  
“He was sweet. Such a kind, cheerful, happy boy! He didn’t deserve this.”

  
_N o , h e  d o e s n ’ t._

  
“You are planning to help him without permission, aren’t you?”

  
_If I told you I am, would you try to stop me? Or tell Sans? Even if I am ninety-five percent sure what I’m thinking will work?_

  
“You sound so determined. Not to worry, I understand.” I could feel her smile. “I have no idea what you are talking about.”

_  
I smiled. Don’t worry about it. With my thoughts out in the open, I guess it’s obvious that I think some weird stuff sometimes. You’re not meant to understand everything that goes on in my head._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am not sorry for cliffhangers since so many UT authors whose work I read do the same. XP
> 
>  
> 
> **Mini Contest: Like last week, to the winner who guesses first all the current references used in this story (including the obvious ones, which I said the references in-story) goes spoiler questions. I've upped the number of questions to 5, to increase to 10 when we hit double digits. Be the first to name them all and win the chance to learn more!?**


	4. SHUT THE HELL UP AND LET ME SAVE THE CINNAMON ROLL, DAMNIT!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With strength returned, it is time for Rachel to visit Papyrus. However, what will happen when she comes to find that his time has almost run out?

When I was fully dressed, it occurred to me that I felt a lot better. Maybe unlocking that… _ mental box _ , or whatever, was all I needed to heal myself as well. I tested my limbs and found that I was only mildly sore. My eyes still wouldn’t open; they were weighed down by some strange magical force. 

 

“Ressa, was there any healing magic in that bath?”

 

“Ah, yes there was! But it was only a little. Your body may have used it to start the healing before taking over.”

 

“How do you know?”

 

“Monsters can sense Souls. Yours in particular is different than any I’ve seen before. It’s more proof that you are not from this world.”

 

I chuckled, my throat completely healed with everything else. “Well, I guess that’s not your first bit of proof. You saw it with your own eyes.”

 

“Yes, I did.” She practically cooed. “Now then, dinner is in ten minutes, so I need to make sure everything is prepared. Stay here.”

 

“Sure thing! Will do! Have fun!” I sassed.

 

“My, my!” She tutted with a giggle. “Your company will surely be interesting going forward. It has definitely been fun having your  _ electric _ personality thus far. I wonder what else will happen.”

 

I snorted at her pun. “You and me both, dog-mama!” I drawled, lying down on the freshly made bed in a seductive fashion. If only I could open my eyes; then I would have fluttered my lashes.

 

She barked a laugh as she exited the room. I smirked good-naturedly; she was by far my favorite female monster thus far. She truly felt like a mother, and since she gave me the ‘little pup’ nickname, it was only natural to grow closer in a mother-daughter kind of way. Unlike Mus, who found my antics irritating and childish, she enjoyed my natural sassy nature. Our relationship was a comfortable, familial one.

 

Exiting the room, I narrowed my senses down to touch and sound. Using it to help me to ‘see’ where everything was, I began to find my way through the halls. Whenever I heard footsteps closing in, I turned down an empty hall. I quickly figured out that I could match everyone by their Souls, which was a relief if I wanted to avoid certain people.

 

Every Soul felt different; everyone’s personality seemed to almost vibrate from their inverted heart-shaped cores, each radiating a color that vibrated energy that described ‘them’ so perfectly. Whether or not they were visually colored, I didn’t know yet. Using these ‘Soul vibrations’ and my knowledge of their personalities, I knew who was where.

 

I found Dogaressa in the dining room talking to her husband, Dogamy. He was less inclined to trust me and was telling her so. Mus was in a low-level room, talking to two other monsters who I assumed were either assistants or apprentices. Undyne was standing beside Alphys, whom I hadn’t officially met, but identified from her trembling Soul Vibrations alone, practically mimicking her ‘stutter’. I searched through all the monsters as I walked further towards the source of the only fading Soul in the entire castle.

 

But as I got closer, I found two Souls that I recognized partially because they had a personality like mine. I stopped, observing from a quiet hall as palace guards passed me over and over. The  _ recognized _ Souls were in the throne room, which was literally an enormous room with two separate furnishings; a single throne that was centered and right up against the far wall and a desk right beside it where piles of papers were stacked. 

 

It was Mettaton and, sitting on the throne, Sans, whose Soul differentiated from all the others with its added regal purple glow over the blue of his core. Mettaton, with his Soul a pinkish-purple, was reporting back about his findings. I had to hear this.

 

“As it turns out, there are more humans secretly aboveground than we were aware of, and when found, they are quick to flee as always. Only two groups of two have been captured out of the ten found thus far, and I still have yet to find all of them, so finding the former king and queen will take more time than expected if we don’t want to attempt breaching the underground and losing more soldiers again. As for the captured, the were willing to die instead of cough up information. Whoever they report to trained them well.”

 

“i don’t care about that or what you do. just keep looking and try harder on interrogating them. i’m not sure how much longer i can keep doing this job. seriously, why me?”

 

“Your guess is as good as mine, your highness.”

 

“ **what did i say about titles?** metts, i told everyone this years ago! if i have to be the ruler of this kingdom against my will, then my rules must be followed. no titles. call me sans or get the hell outta here and don’t talk to me until you learn to obey.”

 

“I’m sorry. I’m still not used to how things are. I meant no disrespect.”

 

“i know.” Came the depressed sigh. “i…it’s fine. just try to remember from now on.”

 

“Has there been any progress on…?”

 

“no, i…i don’t think he’s comin’ back.” The regal Soul trembled, as well as the voice that went with it. After a moment, it glitched and looked to be sizzling before regaining its solid look.

 

“Don’t lose hope just yet, Sans. I heard someone claiming to be from another world is here at the castle. Maybe she has what it take–”

 

“no! i will not have a stranger, a human girl, a mage even, anywhere near my bro.”

 

“I see.”

 

“speakin’ of, i’m gonna go check on her. she’s supposed to be getting cleaned up.”

 

“Alright, Sans. I will speak with you more later.”

 

_ Shit! _ I began to move again, checking quickly before hastily continuing to the location of the fading Soul.

 

As soon as I reached the door, an alarm went off. Crap!

 

**“where is she?!”**

 

_ NO TIME! HE CAN TELEPORT! GO! _

 

I turned the doorknob, but it was locked.

 

“no! she’s trying to get to pap!”

 

**_“OPEN!”_ **

 

The door clicked and I pushed my way in. I hesitated as I felt the faded Soul’s aura. It did not have much time! Mere moments, in fact.

 

**“y o u !  g e t   a w a y   f r o m   m y   b r o t h e r!”** Sans growled from only a few feet away.

 

“No, he has mere moments! Let me try to save him!”

 

I felt him hesitate and I took the chance, rushing to the unconscious skeleton and collapsing on top of him.

 

“Papyrus, take my power! Anything you need to recover! Just don’t die!”

 

The Soul was almost dead. I growled, trying to force my wishes into my voice as I sobbed.

 

**“** **_USE MY ENERGY, WHATEVER YOU NEED! JUST_ ** **_LIVE_ ** **_!_ ** **”**

 

My eyes opened as my Soul Symbol lit up my chest, pulsing a deep blue of pure Integrity before returning to white, the light absorbing into the inverted Soul that had come from the unconscious skeleton’s chest.

 

I  _ willed _ the inverted orange heart to exist, letting my tears fall freely as I pulled the skeleton I was trying to save into my arms, cradling his skull to my cheek. It was draining, incredibly intense, and almost too painful for me. But I didn’t let up until the heart was full of light and had sunk back into its owner’s chest. The lanky skeleton jolted away, knocking me away as he sputtered and looked around in a frenzy.

 

I slumped sideways onto the carpeted floor, breathing heavily as I tried to calm my racing heart. I would have laughed that the taller skeleton had so much energy for someone who almost died, but I was too tired.

 

“SANS! WHAT HAPPENED?”

 

I hadn’t noticed Sans run to his brother, embracing the taller skeleton in seemingly crushing grip. But Papyrus didn’t appear to be in pain, returning his brother’s embrace.

 

“damn it, you almost died. i could have lost you. and it would have been my fault, too.”

 

“WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?”

 

Everything began to move as I felt a sturdy pair of arms lift me up. My eyes were so heavy again, but I willed them open and stared at the smaller, yet older, of the two legendary Skeleton Brothers. My face felt hot as I locked gazes with him.

 

“sorry i didn’t trust you. i should’ve at least tried to see if you could help.”

 

I chuckled. “It’s part of your character, so I totally won’t hold it against you. Your bro is the most important person in your life. And Pap is just too pure to deserve such a terrible fate. You don’t deserve it either, you know.”

 

“heh, that means a lot. are you okay?” He sounded scared to ask, as if he felt he had no right to ask after being so rude.

 

I grunted, “Yep, yep, I’m just sore again. I have never been more determined to do something in my life. The pain was almost too much, but I did it and for that, I’m thankful. Despite how sore I feel – again – I’m more proud of myself. Call it vain, but since I’ve been through way too many instances where shit - big or small - happened where I couldn’t do anything to stop it and ultimately felt guilty because of it, I feel better than I can put into words now that I successfully stopped something so awful. That’s a victory! Finally!”

 

I rubbed my eyes as he chuckled again. Finally, I opened my eyes fully and looked around.

 

“Wow, Pap’s room is identical to how it looks in game. But, 3D instead of pixelated.”

 

I gazed behind me at the people crowding the entryway. All of them seemed to be in tears or near-tears, even Undyne who was biting her lip. I let my eyes roam over everything and everyone else first before finally settling my gaze on Sans.

 

The heat that had filled my cheeks intensified and I was quick to look away.

 

“whoa, you have glowing purple eyes? that’s pretty cool.”

 

“What?” I turned to the nearest mirror and sure enough, my irises were a glowing lavender. However, no sooner did I see them, the purple hue receded and was replaced with brilliant blue.

 

“and now they’re blue.” His voice fell flat.

 

“My natural eye color. I guess activating magic means they can turn purple. And maybe other colors, too…” I hesitated, and then added, “And glow.”

 

Sans snorted, standing up and holding out his hand to assist me.

 

“That doesn’t have a whoopee cushion in it, does it?”

 

He made a face, some mix of horrified and extremely disappointed. “do you know all of my tricks?”

 

I grinned slyly, but it felt weird on my face. “I’m pretty sure I know the majority of them.”

 

I grasped his hand and let him heave me onto my feet. Standing in front of him, I finally took the time to really look at him, and noticed a couple things.

 

“So, you are taller than me. Good!”

 

“what?”

 

“Nothing.” I replied too quickly. “By the way, what happened to your original blue hoodie?”

 

His eye sockets widened.

 

“well, i have to look like a leader, at least a little.”

 

“SANS, I AM CONFUSED. WHAT DO MEAN ‘LEADER’? WHY ARE YOU WEARING A HOODIE THAT RESEMBLES THE ATTIRE OF MONSTER ROYALTY?”

 

Clearing her throat, Undyne walked forward. “Paps, I’m not sure if you remember, but Asgore and Toriel were kidnapped by the humans. With both rulers gone, and no heir, the Magic that flows through all of us had to choose a new king to take their place. Your brother was the chosen heir, if you can call it that.”

 

“REALLY? DOES THAT MEAN SANS HAS STOPPED SLACKING OFF?”

 

I snorted a bit, giggling at Sans’ frustrated reaction.

 

“yeah, bro, i have. not that i had a choice.”

 

I grinned. “Hey, at least that hoodie looks cool. And I like the rest of this outfit way more than basketball shorts, socks, and pink slippers. Long cargo pants and sneakers for the win!”

 

“Damn, punk, you really do know too much!”

 

I stuck my tongue out at her.

 

“I also know that you thought anime was real, or is that just in the game?”

 

She blushed heavily and tightened her hold on her spear.

 

“I see. Well, I’m hungry! So, is dinner still an option?”

 

“Yes, yes, let’s all go!” Dogaressa chimed in.

 

Narrowed eye sockets and bright pinpricks of white light bore into the dog monster, “you were totally in on this, weren’t you?”

 

“I don’t know what you mean.” She cooed before bouncing off.

 

“she totally was, wasn’t she?” He pressed, locking gazes with me.

 

“Don’t worry about it. I think some weird stuff sometimes.” I didn’t give him a chance to react as I ran after her, whooping as I raced down the halls.

 

I felt it deep within my bones; life was going to be a whole lot more interesting, and way more fun and crazy, going forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, who likes this story so far? Can I have a rating between 1 and 10. I just want to make sure I'm making this adventure enjoyable.


	5. I’M FINE, JUST HAVING A BAD TIME RIGHT NOW.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Here comes some drama! 
> 
> We learn more about how Rachel functions and a bit of what she has been through as well as delving into Sans' behavioral changes as he takes on the stress of running a kingdom he never wanted to rule in the first place. Sometimes knowing more about the company you are in helps you to empathize with their situation. Can Sans and Rachel grow from this or will it tear them further apart?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A quick note: This is who I am. I have very sensitive hearing and my anxiety increases with loudness, aggression, and sharp noises that remind me of negative events in my past. While I don't experience flashbacks, my mind does go back to times in my past when similar situations happened and I will act accordingly. 
> 
> I personally find it extremely obnoxious when I see others using the term "triggered" in a mocking way. Because I often do deal with psychological breakdowns caused by triggered events being brought back to the forefront of my mind. And with that, I will get defensive by either trying to scare whoever caused it off, intimidate them, or fight back. It is from years of abuse and constant ignorance of those who were meant to help me. I have painted my parents in a negative light because of this. They did not do a good job in helping me with things like this because they didn't know what to do and when they didn't know what to do, they did nothing. Which was bad. It is still an issue.
> 
> If you are in a similar situation, and worry that this might be too much for you, let me know in the comments and I can summarize it. This is not graphic since I don't do well with pain, so gore is absent, but if you worry that this might bring up bad memories, I understand. Just let me know in the comments.

Dinner was fantastic, including all the food groups needed for a healthy diet and then some. With every bite came a _sparkly_ aftertaste.

 

When I was full, I leaned back. “That was amazing! Compliments to the chef!”

 

“Fuhuhu! You mean Muffet!”

 

“Oh, I see! Tell her I said she’s an awesome cook!”

 

“And Grillby!” Undyne added.

 

“Tell them both I say they’re awesome!” I threw my hands up exasperatedly, earning a round of giggles.

 

“By the way, I noticed a certain somebody didn’t join us. Pap, where’s your brother?”

 

“I JUST WOKE UP FROM A VERY LONG _NAP_ , SO I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT HE DOES ANYMORE.”

 

“Undyne, where’s the missing bonehead?”

 

“No doubt working his tailbone off to get ahead of the workload. He doesn’t do much else other than work. He’s trying to get to a point where he has literally nothing left to do, but it has yet to happen because of how unmotivated he is with some stuff and then just…some things don’t have an obvious answer. But he works constantly in hopes that he’ll get ahead of it eventually.”

 

I stood up. “That’s dumb. I’m gonna go find him and bring him here.”

 

“I-I-I wouln’t-t if I w-were you!” Alphys called after me.

 

“Don’t worry, babe. Even if he bites her head off for disturbing him, she has shown she’s capable of growing it back.” Undyne teasing followed me out.

 

I rolled my eyes as I walked off, ignoring the chorus of laughter.

 

I began humming Megalovania again as I practically skipped off in the direction of the regal Soul. As I peered into the room, I turned towards the sound of rifling papers and soft chewing.

 

Sure enough, Sans was sitting all alone in front of a desk of papers, a tray with food to his left that he was slowly devouring. He didn’t look up as I walked in and only seemed to notice I was there when I was about ten paces away.

 

“can i help you, kiddo?”

 

“Not a kid, dude.”

 

“yer also not a lady, so what else is there to call you?”

 

“How about Rachel? Y’know, my name!”

 

He rolled his eye-lights and shrugged in a non-committal gesture.

 

“Hey, if you are gonna call me ‘kid’ or ‘kiddo’, then I’ll call you _your highness_!” I bowed ridiculously, swaying this way and that.

 

The lights in his sockets vanished as he growled, “what the hell do you want?”

 

“Join us for dinner!”

 

He gestured to the pile of papers. “does it look like i have time?”

 

“Dude, how long have you been trying to get ahead?”

 

“since this started and i became the damn king of this place.”

 

“Then you’re not gonna get ahead, especially not working alone or with that attitude. C’mon, join us! Have some down time!”

 

“i did that once, and i came back to a new stack of papers. no thanks.”

 

“Damn, you have become a real stick in the mud. Your bro is back, and you won’t join him for dinner. C’mon, do it for him, if nothing else.”

 

“why are you trying to boss me around?!” He slammed his fist down on the tray of food, causing a loud clang and all the contents to fall to the ground. “get out of here! you have been nothin’ but an annoying little brat since you got here!”

 

I couldn’t speak, the loud noise alone paralyzing me. But what really hurt were his words.

 

 _< < < you_ have been nothing but an annoying little brat since you got here. > > >

 

I trembled, turning away. “Fuck you.” I sobbed. “I guess you don’t love your brother as much as I thought. Fine, I get it now. I…” I sobbed again, hightailing it out of there before he could do anything about it.

 

As soon as I returned to the room I had been staying in, I slammed the door and locked it. Walking to the bed, I tore off my shoes and chucked them at the wall before diving under the covers and wailing, my tears coating the sheets and the pillow doing only so much to muffle my cries.

 

“Pup, what happened? Are you okay?”

 

“NO! SANS IS A TOTAL ASSHOLE!”

 

“Oh, I see. May I come in?”

 

“I don’t want to talk about this. I can’t.”

 

“Oh dear! Well, I’ll come back in ten minutes, alright?”

 

I moaned. But her Soul was fading away as she left me alone.

 

Ten minutes had not gone by before a pounding came to the door.

 

“Hey punk! Open up!”

 

“No! Go away!”

 

“If you won’t open the door, I will break it open!”

 

**_No, no, no!_ **

 

With a loud crack, the wood was shattered. I screamed, falling from the bed and landing hard on the carpeted floor. I curled up, trembling, sobbing, waiting for an attack.

 

“What the hell are you doing?” She asked softly.

 

“Don’t…don’t hurt me.” I wailed, folding my arms over my head protectively.

 

“I wasn’t–”

 

“Captain, she’s very distressed! I told you that!”

 

I felt furry arm wrap around me. However, by that time, I was hyperventilating, tears flowing fast, face flushed, and mucus leaking down and past my lips.

 

“Why the hell is she so terrified?”

 

**“Back off, Undyne! She gets scared from loud noises!”**

 

“What the hell?!”

 

From behind me appeared what looked like a long jet-black cord with a comical hand on the end. On closer inspection, it was revealed to be a tail, and was connected to my lower back, right above my rear. The hand looked like a plastic glove with air in it, although it moved like a hand and had two specks on the back, near the knuckles. Slowly, where the fingernails would be, there grew claws as the appendage circled protectively around me.

 

 **“My name is Soul, and I am Rachel’s protector.”** The hand said, moving to emphasize the male voice that seemed to belong to someone in their mid-twenties.

 

“You’re a hand and you talk.” Undyne drawled, a look of skepticism on her face.

 

**“Correction, I’m a Soul inside of a hand that is part of a tail.” From the palm of the hand came an opening, like a mouth, and a ball of light – indicating my protector’s Soul – was revealed briefly. “If my Soul were to come out of the tail, I would have a different form that more resembles a human. You could say I’m Rachel’s brother since we were born from the same father. Or, you can say I’m a facet of her current personality. I don’t care which one you choose. I’m just here to guide and protect her. And answer any questions, if I have permission by those whom I answer to. Not everything you or she asks is available to discuss currently.”**

 

“And your name is Soul? Who named you.”

 

**“Rachel did.”**

 

“You know about this, punk?” The fish warrior asked me.

 

**“Before she came here, she lived in a world where she was unhappy, so as a coping mechanism, she built a new world where you and a lot of others existed in her mind. Whether it was real or not didn’t matter; her imagination and will made it real. She could interact with you daily. Not like this, but as you are from the Pacifist version of Undertale.**

**“Rachel was very depressed. She also hated how mundane her world was – literally no magic at all. She wanted to be free of it, but she was afraid since the only thing she could think of to be free was for her to die, and therefore leave that world behind. While that was the answer, she didn’t want to lose the world she created. Before her Mother, the angel Lady Och transported her here, her heart had stopped beating for more than a second. When you found her, the lightning that she was infused in to send her here was also keeping her alive long enough for her to be healed by your people and to unlock her powers, which will gradually be unlocked within her the more she helps in this world.**

**“Rachel is a reality bender, if you want to call it that. If it can be imagined, she can do it. Whether that means changing one item into another or creating something from nothing, she can do it. But she must find the control within herself first. However, due to her immense and uncontrolled emotions, so untamed because of constant abuse in the past, her powers are currently too unstable to control properly.**

**“I am here to make sure she is protected and to keep her powers in check even if her emotions are not. She is the offspring of the angel, Lady Och of the Council of G.O.D. and has the powers of an angel herself. But she is not limited; she is gifted with the role of the ultimate Judge of the World, given to her by Fate herself. But due to manipulation and cruelty done by humans, and other much eviler forces, she is a very broken person. And one of the people whom she admired so wholeheartedly just yelled at her, prompting negative emotions that others have used constantly in the past.**

**“It was an enormous _trigger_. There is no other word to describe what this is. People have abused it and made a mockery of it so many times that it has lost its meaning. **

**“This girl has never felt true happiness. When her Mother asked what she wished for, she said she wanted ‘to go to a place where she _will_ belong’. She doesn’t belong yet, but Fate-willing and with both your assistance and mine, we all hope she will. She is part of something much larger than any of you realize. She is a Soul of Integrity, and once she has control of herself, she can save many lives. But first trust needs to be earned, and on both sides.”**

 

“Damn, so let me get this straight. She could be really badass if she wanted to? She’s only a wimp right now because the past has fucked her up?”

 

**“To put it simply, and to be vulgar about it, yes. She was born with a few mental and emotional handicaps to create more difficulty for her. She has bipolar disorder, which means that with certain stimuli, she can go from enthusiastic and even manic hyper activeness to depressed and hopeless in mere moments. Her ADHD, which is short for Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, affects her ability to focus and increases any hyper activity.**

**“She also has something called Asperger’s Syndrome, which the idiotic psychologists of her world pushed into something called Autism, a move that hurt the Asperger’s Community since people often label autistic individuals as being stupid. Asperger’s includes several behaviors like her heightened senses and occasional inability to read social cues. There is more, but I will come back to that later.**

**“Finally, she was diagnosed with anxiety, which is why with negative stimuli, her behaviors are as you see her now. It’s her fear of rejection, fear of pain, and fear that people will come after her, hurt her, or even hate her for being herself. Coupled with a new environment – with everything that was familiar to her being gone, you have one traumatized girl.”**

 

“How are we supposed to remember all this?”

 

 **“You’re right. Your _king_ will be getting a report about it. Since he has stacks of work to do anyways, a bit more work should be fine…especially given the circumstances. You hear that, bonehead?”** Listening silently and carefully, we heard a sigh and shuffling at the door indicated that Sans had indeed been listening in. **“I hope you’re proud. I understand you have a lot of your plate, but yelling at this girl and basically telling her she’s nothing but annoying, is just horrible. Way to go!”**

 

“i’m sorry. i didn’t mean to say what i did. i’m just…”

 

**“You’re overworked! How about asking for some help, moron?!”**

 

“but i’m not supposed to–”

 

**“You’re the king! Make a new rule, for crying out loud!”**

 

“oh…”

 

**“Yeah, _oh_ is right! Wow, clueless much! See, Rachel! You’re not the only one who is occasionally oblivious to the answer! C’mon, you’re okay, right?”**

 

“Not really…” I mumbled. “I feel so messed up.”

 

**“Yeah, I know. I’m here now. Your Mom only allowed me access into this plain of existence once you got passed a certain point and your negative emotions hit. I’m sorry I couldn’t be here sooner.”**

 

“Well, she _is_ where I get my sass. Me and the rest of the southern USA. It’s just another way she can tease me.”

 

Soul chuckled sadly. **“Whatever it is, I wish I could have been here to help sooner. You going to be at least _mildly_ okay?”**

 

“Yeah, I’m just tired. I don’t have my meds and yet I can sleep.”

 

**“Oh, right! Your body has been reconfigured to make those medications, as well as your need for glasses, unnecessary. Whatever the meds did to help with happen automatically, so sleep as well as focus will happen as if you take them with natural fatigue being the only thing affecting your routine.”**

 

“Is there any way I can get my stuff over here, Soul?”

 

**“Oh, I’m glad you asked. Hang on!”**

 

With a burst of light, the room was filled with everything that belonged to me. I smiled, crawling over to the bed and hopping in to snuggle with my precious, personal pillow. I never went anywhere without it. It was a memory foam that I hated having a pillow case on, so it was dirty from use. The good news was I could unzip the outer layer and wash the cover around the memory foam and replace it once it was clean.

 

“This pillow is my friend.” I cooed into it, not paying attention to any of the others’ reactions.

 

**“Yeah, I know it is. Your computer, PS2 and Dance Dance Revolution, drawing tablet, and any other electronics are also here as well as everything else you own from Georgia. Your belongings from Maryland are still at your…parents’ home.”**

 

“Yay!” I cheered softly, ignoring the last part.

 

**“You want to know the best part?”**

 

“Wha’ssat?” I questioned, mumbling into the pillow.

 

**“You still have access to the world you came from. Your computer now comes with auto-wifi to your Earth, even if there is no wifi here. So, not only can you talk to the people back there, you can show these guys everything about Undertale. Well, beyond the shirts, keychains, posters and other Undertale related things you have.”**

 

My face heated up as I glanced at the hamper of clean clothes. Given that the dresser I had had wasn’t big enough, I had to use a hamper. I could see the shirt I bought from one of my favorite VariantArt artists, showcasing a certain skeleton and the question: “Would you Smooch a Skeleton?” With the only possible answers being “Heck Yeah!” as it was repeated four times, the final one having the game’s classic red heart.

 

Walking over to the hamper, I fixed it so that it was hidden by pretending to check that everything was there. I’m not sure if I fooled anyone. However, something occurred to me.

 

“Soul, we both know they should not see everything from Undertale.” He caught the implications and laughed, the hand swaying in agreement. Letting these guys see anything Undertail would equal hell to pay for me, especially since most of it included their current king, who had finally entered the room.

 

“What should we not see?” Undyne inquired suspiciously.

 

“NOTHING!” I bolted up as Soul laughed. Glowering, I changed the subject, “Hooo-oooo-oookay, I’m tired! Please leave! I’ll show you the stuff tomorrow! Please go away!”

 

“can i make it up to you tomorrow, at least?”

 

“Sure, sure, just go!” My face was burning.

 

“I’m both excited and terrified to see what this shit is about!” Undyne admitted as she and Dogaressa walked out of the room.

 

“I am curious how we are all involved!” The canine guard replied. “Good night, little pup! Sweet dreams!”

 

“Okay, thanks, dog-mama!” The following bark-laugh faded as the two women walked away, the lights already out as I stumbled back into bed.

 

“are you gonna give me another chance?” Sans’ asked from almost directly above me.

 

I startled underneath the covers. I turned and saw the white eye-lights only a short distance away.

“you have seemed very nervous around me since the beginning. what’s your deal?”

 

“Nothing…and to your question, I guess. But I have trust issues.”

 

“well, then i guess we have something in common. i’ll take your…protector’s advice and get some people to help me out. even if it’s getting an advisor or having someone go over stuff that is less important.”

 

I hummed in agreement.

 

“and um, i’m sorry for saying that you’ve been only…well, you know. i was frustrated, and i was wrong to say that. so, yeah. i’m really sorry for being insensitive and stuff. can we start over?”

 

“Sure, but only starting tomorrow. I am tired, and my head hurts.”

 

“oh, do you need something for that?” There was genuine concern in his tone.

 

“It means I’m dehydrated. I was crying a lot and there was a lot of pressure created and I lost water, so I need to get something to drink to rehydrate.”

 

“oh, you need water. okay.”

 

“But do you have milk, or rather, chocolate milk, instead? I don’t like the taste of water.”

 

“you don’t like the _taste_ of water?”

 

“I can stand ice water, but water often has stuff in it that tastes weird. And I know that sounds strange to you, but as Soul explained, my senses are heightened. Therefore, I can taste more.”

 

“okay, chocolate milk it is. i’ll bring it here.”

 

“Don’t you have more important work to do?”

 

“nah, i think i’m done for the night. turning in early is starting to sound too good right now to pass up.”

 

“Sorry if I guilt-tripped you.”

 

“nah, i think it’s more of a kick in the rear. y’know, since i’m a skeleton and don’t have a butt.”

 

“Then what do you sit with?”

 

He snorted. “point taken.”

 

“I thought so.” I huffed goodnaturedly.

 

We laughed together briefly before he exited, returning shortly after with the milk.

 

“g’night, rachel.” He sounded very close again. My name sounded amazing coming from him.

 

“Night, Sans. See you tomorrow.”

 

“yeah, you too.” The door closed behind him.

 

I smiled, downing the milk and wiping any milk mustache away before going to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Who can guess which artist/artwork I am referencing in this chapter?**
> 
>  
> 
> I'll toss in a sketch request or a sneak peak to the next chapter for the winner. Up to you!


	6. IS IT HOT IN HERE, OR IS IT JUST ME?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel doesn't do well with new situations. But when she wakes up in a new place and panics, a friend from her past comes back to help her through it, as well as explain her circumstances to the monsters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>  **Important** : I do not have DID or schizophrenia. I grew up feeling lonely because I had a hard time making friends and was bullied a lot growing up, partially because I have mental disorders listed in this chapter. So, instead of making more human friends, my mind made its own friends that I have to this day. 
> 
> ALSO!  
> Please look at the notes at the bottom of each chapter! I keep leaving messages and no one says anything, even though you could win a sketch from your answer. It's a bit disheartening that no one has the patience to look.

The next morning, I woke up feeling wrong. When my eyes opened, I stared at the high, regal ceiling embroidered in red and gold, two colors I would never have picked. Slowly, I sat up and let my gaze wander around the unfamiliar space, now filled with all my stuff from the apartment in Georgia. I was thankful that I could not see my framed poster of Sans that I got from Baltimore Comic Con; who knows what the real Sans would think if he saw that. That was one conversation I didn’t need to have…yet.

 

As I looked at everything, I felt a shudder run through me. Moments later, I was trembling – not from the temperature, which was pleasant. It started in my core, working its way to my limbs, and left my whole body shaking but unmoving beyond full-body tremors.

 

“Uh…uh…uh…” I couldn’t speak either, and when the wetness of tears began to pour down my cheeks, a sob broke out, shattering the remaining silence. I fell back against my favorite pillow, strangling it in my tense arms, as the quaking continued. My stomach clenched and my breathing was short and rapid as I hyperventilated. My eyes dilated, gaze ricocheting around the room at a pace that should make me dizzy but did not; my lids refused to close.

 

I didn’t hear the knock on the door or it opening to reveal my favorite guard.

 

“Good morning, how are–” Dogaressa halted in her greeting, reacting to the no-doubt horrifying sight without so much as a hesitation.

 

“Sweetheart, dear, what’s wrong? Why are you shaking?”

 

I shook my head, unintelligible words breaking past my lips in a jumbled manner.

 

“Can you use your telepathy?” How she wasn’t terrified I would never know.

 

_Paaaaaa-AAAanniiiiiic aattttt-aaAAAaaccccccccck!_

 

“What does that mean? What is a panic attack?”

 

_Too-too-OO m-m-muuu-uUUUuuccch a-a-aaaaannnxxieee-EEEeeeeetttttyyyyy!_

 

“Oh, dear! What can I do to help you?”

 

_Maa-AAaay-bee ph-phyyyyssssi-cccc-ccal c-ooo-ooooo-OO-mfffff-orrrrt!_

 

“Okay, I will try.” She replied uncertainly.

 

She approached me calmly, lifting my head gently, then my shoulders and arms. Before long, I was resting in her embrace and the quakes running through my body began to calm down.

 

“Th-thank you!” I gasped weakly.

 

“You’re doing better, I see. What were you anxious about?”

 

“I think the shock of everything, being in a new place, with people who I admire, and…it finally got to me.”

 

There was more to it than that, but I didn’t want to sound stupid or weird. It was the idea of these people, these characters who I loved so much, hating me. I didn’t deal with anger well, and I had had someone I admired hate me for my stupid actions. I ended up getting in trouble for trying to apologize. It hurt so much, and it was all my fault…

 

She nuzzled my head, snapping me out of it. “Yes, it would seem so. I’m glad you have calmed down.”

 

I leaned in, my frown softening into a small and gentle smile. “Your fur is amazing. I have two dogs back home named Cooper and Remy. Technically, they’re pets, but I see them more as my furry brothers. Since we’re all adopted, them, my human brother, Don and I, it’s easy to see it that way.”

 

“Your parents are not biologically yours?”

 

“No, I wasn’t…planned by my birth parents. I know my birth mother’s name as well as my birth father’s first name. And I have a half-sister named Monica who is around the same age as Don, which is a factor in why they chose me. Apparently, they wanted the same age difference. Hell if I know.”

 

“Why is she your half-sister?”

 

“I was told my mother was married to a man who was in prison or something, and she was working with my father before I…came along. He left to do something with the air force or whatever and my half-sister was sent to her aunt because my birth mother couldn’t care for her. She was unemployed after my father left. A few years ago, I finally got two letters from her, one written right before I was born and one from right after.”

 

“What did she write?”

 

“She wrote about wanting to keep me but because she couldn’t provide for me and she already had another child, it would be unfair to me. My parents actually bought Monica some new clothes to help her out or something.

 

“I wish I could meet her. I feel like I’m missing a lot of pieces to the puzzle that is  **me**. My parents…no, the people who raised me never knew what they were doing. If we’re talking about personalities, the difference between me and them is night and day. They are doctors, hate conflict, are athletic through sports, running, and biking, and have practically no creativity within them.

 

“And then there’s me, someone who hates hospitals and everything medical because I hate pain, would rather dance for exercise than do sports – well, except badminton – and can also sing, draw, and write. I’m also unafraid to speak my mind, and often do so when I feel that something or someone is wrong. When I saw the Soul Traits of Undertale, I immediately thought that I would be purple for Perseverance since my life has always been an enormous struggle with being different for so many reasons.

 

“But then, I looked up Integrity, and after thinking about it, it made so much more sense. I have a moral code that I try to stick by, I feel guilty by lying, I hold people to certain standards like treating everyone right or I’ll treat them like crap, and try to protect others from those who use them. I was used for so many years by cruel people who knew how to manipulate me, and I have always stood by my morals to treat only those who have earned it with respect.”

 

I ground my teeth furiously, my fingers bent and tensed to look like claws. My shoulders were rigid with the increasing rage I had continued to carry for most of my current life.

 

“I have been lied to, I have been manipulated, and I have wanted vengeance against so many human scumbags for acting like self-righteous pricks! I have wished humanity into extinction for their crimes. For every single person who is good, there are hundreds who are vile and disgusting. It’s infuriating how humans go about their day, uncaring of how they might impact the people around them as well as the world itself. I became an environmentalist, recycling everything I could, and even getting others to recycle, too. It is horrible to know how insignificant you are when others tell you ‘ _it’s not your choice what others do’_ , even if their choices impact the world so negatively.

 

“Well, to that I always make the point to remind these assholes that by the time they start changing their idiotic ways, the world will be dead and there will be no chance of saving it from the mistakes and suffering man has selfishly created.  **Man** , whom have  _defiled_  their home and are a  _disgrace_. Man, who should  **suffer**  for their pathetic pride, and every other sin they so  _carelessly_  commit. Bury them alive for being  **so stupid**!”

 

It was too late to notice the inferno that had consumed both my arms as I stood atop the bed sheets. Dogaressa had fled from my side, back against the far wall, staring at me with fear in her eyes.

 

“Are you done having your temper tantrum?”

 

I whipped my head to the left, taking in the stoic form of the fire elemental, Grillby.

 

“You have frightened Dogaressa with your emotional instability. She called for me immediately.”

 

I looked back at the albino canine. “I’m sorry, Ressa.” The flames went out and I sunk back down onto the mattress. “I have a lot of hatred in me. I shouldn’t have burdened you with that.”

 

She stood, courage returning now that the flames were gone. “Do not worry, pup. I worried you would accidentally hurt yourself. As you can see, Grillby is a fire elemental and can be of much assistance when it comes to learning fire magic.”

 

Grillby nodded. “If you have any objections to learning to control your fire-based abilities from me, please say so now.”

 

I bowed. “Not at all. Thank you! I am very grateful.” Even as unsure as I was, it was worth a shot.

 

“so yer finally calm now? about time.”

 

I flinched as I looked up at the purple-clad skeleton. His frown was mostly irritated, but there was worry hidden within his large eye-sockets. The white pinpricks of light made it unmistakable.

 

“I’m…sorry.” The heat enveloped my cheeks.

 

“grillby will be an excellent coach for someone so  _hot-headed_. being the former captain of the  _queen’s guard_ , grillby should be a perfect  _match_  for your unruly behavior.”

 

“Please don’t pun at my expense.” I pouted.

 

“please don’t try to incinerate any of my citizens, then.” He winked. This coming from the guy who doesn’t want the throne.

 

“The sass is real in this one…” I mumbled, unable to hide my cheeky smile.

 

“what?” He grumbled, though his tone made it clear he knew  _what_.

 

“Nothing!” I shot back with a wink anyway.

 

With that, Grillby made a show of clearing his throat. “You should all eat you breakfast first and then we will discuss your training regimen.”

 

Like the night before, the meal was fantastic. I was only finished after two chocolate chip pancakes, four scrambled eggs, a piece of buttered toast, and a mountain load of hash browns.

 

“How do you eat so much, punk?”

 

I burped. “Oops, ‘scuse me! Let’s just say that when good food is presented, I’ll go overboard! Mmmmmm!” I hummed, leaning back.

 

Grillby approached soon after. “Since you are at least mildly human, you will need time to let your body digest. As soon as you have done so, Dogaressa will escort you outside to start training. Come prepared for an extreme workout, young miss. You will need it.”

 

I pouted at his retreating form. “Why does it feel like I’m gonna get beaten up?”

 

Undyne grinned knowingly, and replied, “Sans asked him to give you an intense training to see how much work needs to be done.”

 

I gawked at her before turning my gaze to the place where Sans had been sitting for breakfast. The place was clean and he had left to go start his work again, no doubt.

 

“That bony jerk! I’ll get him for this!”

 

“You won’t have much luck with the nerd. He’s a master of pranks and his magic is the strongest of all of us. Good luck trying to win a duel against him.”

 

I hummed thoughtfully. “He’s not what I expected. It’s a little disappointing, but I think it’s just cuz this particular timeline is…messed up.”

 

“What do you mean?” The fish woman demanded, glaring menacingly.

 

“Let’s just say that this…everything feels weird, even wrong. Like, I can feel the balance of the world, and let’s just say it’s  _not_.”

 

**“So, you did notice?”**

 

I yelped as Soul lifted himself to meet me, the specks that acted as his eyes piercing as our gazes locked.

 

**“This world is greatly out of balance. In a way, that’s why you’re here. Out of all the timelines, this one is the most out of balance.”**

 

“Wouldn’t that make more sense for Underfell or Horrortale. Or even Aftertale?”

 

**“No, since it makes sense for those timelines to be as they are, the balance is secured. I guess you can say that without Frisk or someone to act as the Ambassador, since they created a _bridge_  of sorts, this world is falling into a disarray.”**

 

“Huh, so I’m here to balance it out like Frisk has in other timelines.”

 

**“Rachel, you know your title.”**

 

“What?” I replied, startled.

 

 **“You are Esheye Telari.”**  Oh, that.

 

 **“Yes, that.”** My guardian replied amusedly.

 

“What the hell does that mean?” Undyne demanded.

 

**“It means a lot of things, because it’s explains her story as well as what she is supposed to do. However, Esheye translates to ‘First Soul’, ‘Ultimate Soul’, or ‘The Judge’. And Telari translates to ‘Of All’ or ‘Of the World’. Rachel is the ‘Judge of the World’.”**

 

I grinned. “My Soul Symbol is a circle because it’s a loop. I actually have special…weapon of sorts that, if removed, forces the circle into the sign of infinity, which is a sideways eight. Also, my Soul Symbol is made up of every other Soul Symbol in existence. So, you’re in there, somewhere…and provided I am given access, I can do anything from saving you to…not.” Morbid much.

Undyne shook her head. “No thank you!”

 

I giggled, and sensing the additional presence in the room, added, “What if I got Sans’ Soul Symbol? I wonder what I could do. Probably prank him a bunch! Easy as pie!”

 

“What?” Undyne stared at me like I was crazy.

 

“Just kidding.”

**“Yes, you are.”**

I sighed. “Cue the party pooper…”

**“Rachel needs to train before she can achieve control, so you have nothing to worry about…for now. And it is her _job_  to  _keep the balance_  of the  _entire universe_ , not  _play around with it_.**

**“Before she came here, she had been killed. Her heart stopped beating, but with her will power – something akin to determination, but far greater, she was asked to make a wish. The wish was to help her get to the next step so she could begin training for her real, predestined job. Living in a world that was wrong in so many ways for twenty-four years helped her learn right from wrong as well as how to harness the Soul Traits.**

 

**“Now that she is here, she must learn to control her powers as well as help this world achieve its balance. She will eventually belong here when she achieves the balance of this world, and the balance within herself. So, in reality, her wish has already come true.”**

 

“Damn, punk! And I guess you’re also here because as a Judge yourself, you can help Sans, the Judge of Monsters. Your bro is right – you will provide balance if that’s the case.”

 

I smiled. “Thanks, Undyne! That means a lot.”

 

I stood up. “I’m heading back to my room to rest before this  _intense training_. Later, you two.”

 

I smirked as the extra presence fled. “Did he really think I wouldn’t notice?”

 

“Trust me, punk! He hasn’t been very good at sneaking up since becoming king. His Soul is just too bright to pull that shit anymore!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soul Symbols  
> So let me explain briefly what Soul Symbols are so that you understand what I am trying to convey without adding to the story and making it choppy and potentially messy. Soul Symbols are similar to the Undertale Souls in only one way - they reside over the chest. But unlike the heart-shaped Souls, each one is unique. The reason that my Soul Symbol is a simple circle - O - is because as the first Soul, and a being with a special purpose, it has to be that way. I have hinted to some things in this chapter as well. Also, to put things into perspective, most Soul Symbols are extremely complex. And given what was discussed here, I have given very subtle hints to who Rachel is. I'll give you a hint in the form of a **fun fact** : There have not been any new Soul Symbols in eons, and that is thanks to something Rachel did. 
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD: Given what you know so far from this story and what I just hinted about Soul Symbols, who/what do you think Rachel is?**


	7. YOU NEED TO STOP TRYING TO ROAST ME, @$$HOLE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1 of playing with fire, I mean - 'fire training' with Grillby becomes a little more dramatic than anticipated. (Sorry for the shorter chapter!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lyrics are underlined so that you can tell the difference, because you can't color them like I originally had them. I tend to color my lyrics blue in the original document so I can tell them apart.

Not even twenty minutes in and I had frustratingly collapsed in front of the fire elemental. I groaned, turning away from the fire elemental as he crackled – his form of laughter – sparks flying everywhere as his shoulders shook with mirth.

 

We had started off the training with various exercises before Grillby started the real lessons. Lesson one was create fire. I snapped my fingers and sure enough, a flame ignited in my hand. Lesson two was where everything went downhill.

 

It was target practice where everything needed to be so precise and specific. For every complaint, which  _in my case_ , there is always a lot, even before I came to this world, I got an ember to the butt. While it didn’t burn through my clothes, it  **still**  hurt. And I got more of them when I told the flaming man to shoot them elsewhere because I would need to sit on that later. Yeah, I was ignored. I tried not to let the anger and hurt that was triggered by previous events like this one effect my mood.

 

“Come now, Miss Mage, we need to continue.”

 

I glowered up at him. “You are a jerk! This is not how  **introductory**  training is.” I stood up and began backing up into castle, keeping my eyes on the fire elemental standing in gravel outside the castle and away from the nature-infested courtyard as I tried to make my escape.

 

“I am going inside and will not join you for training until you feel like being reasonable about training. This is  **not**  okay!”

 

I shrieked as the spot before the gates lit up with a wall of fire.

 

“You are not allowed to go back inside until I say so.”

 

I shrieked in rage, stamping my feet on the ground like a child having a tantrum.

 

**“Rachel, relax! Put in your music. You’ll have an easier time with your powers with that.”**

 

I pulled out my phone and hooked my Bluetooth headphones into place, syncing them up. The fire elemental watched in interest, and thankfully didn’t stop me.

 

Scrolling through my playlist, I was almost tempted to play “Determination” again, but with the off chance that  _others_  could hear it, I decided that now was not the time for that  _particular_  song, especially if the skeleton who was  _supposedly_  singing in the song was around to hear.

 

I smirked when I came to a song that spoke to me in a special way. It was called “[Pit of Vipers](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KDSV6aztOcw)” by Simon Curtis, and I had the Night Core version. The song was kind of slow, even in this sped-up version, but the beat was what got me hooked. Soon after, the lyrics did, too. The message spoke to me since it spoke up bullying, and I had been in similar situations so many times in my life, it was perfect…especially since right now, I felt like I was being bullied by some monsters, one of which I had looked up to.

 

As it played, I tapped to the beat. The elemental was quick to catch on and soon I could confirm that my music could indeed be heard by him and any others nearby. As the lyrics started, I lip-sang and danced, letting the emotion take over. The magic ran through me and it became far easier to control.

  


I can almost feel the tick like clockwork

My shoes tapped with the beat as I began raising my hands,

 

Hearing all the voices in my head each time I go

Placing my hands against my head, I felt my eyes flare and saw red briefly.

 

There's a game they play that I'm not part of

I let my smile become twisted as I leered at the fire elemental.

 

Tearing at the weaknesses and all the faults they know

Curling my fingers in, I filled my palms with fire and proceeded to thrust the miniature infernos to the ground as if they were the physical manifestation of my faults. I urged the flames to spread, crackle, and travel like veins across the gravel.

 

 

It's impossible to navigate around

I began to saunter back to Grillby.

 

It's inevitable that you'll fall in

The flames licked up my arms, but did not burn me, or my clothes.

 

It's improbable I'll ever come back down

The flames flared out as I stepped directly in front of the flame monster.

 

I fell in and now I think I might drown

It was almost like a standoff, except that the elemental was so calm and relaxed while I looked like I was ready to pounce.

 

 

I've fallen deep into a

My eyes flashed green like a snake as I twirled away, the flames accompanying me like they were dancing along.

 

Pit of vipers

I danced with the flames like they were ribbons, their color having become viper-green as well.

 

Sliding over me, over me

One arm crossed in front of me, the other following soon after.

 

And I can't break free

I expelled them out and sure enough, they shot away like a green heat wave.

 

 

Secrets run deep when you're in a

I lowered my arms as if gesturing to myself.

 

Pit of vipers

The green flames were back.

 

S-s-slithering, whispering

I threw one, then the other.

 

Feel the venom poisoning me

From the side of my fists, beside my curled pinkie and seeming to come from the small gap in my fist, extending out like that of a welding torch, were twin flames that looked like flaming green fangs.

Silently thanking Zuko from Avatar: The Last Airbender for the idea, I released the flames and tilted my head back to look at my ‘teacher’.

 

Now I must admit that I have played a part

Eyes flashing back to red, I let my posture become dramatic, pointed to myself-

 

In the way that things have gotten out of hand

…before lifting my hand.

 

But it's escalated almost to an art

I twirled, my emotion carrying my body.

 

I wanna fix it but I don't think I can

Jerking with emotions this way, I made my body move far more rigidly.

With green eyes…

 

I've fallen deep into a

I stomped both feet to the beat, creating flames directly under my shoes each time.

 

Pit of vipers

Two walls of green fire erupted on either side of me.

 

Sliding over me, over me

Splaying my hands towards each wall, the flames bent away from me.

 

And I can't break free

The flames became an impression of steel chains, with handcuff around my wrists.

 

 

Secrets run deep when you're in a

I bent backwards as if the chains were dragging me down.

 

Pit of vipers

I pulled back up, pretending to fight it, and embers burst from the handcuffs, littering the ground.

 

S-s-slithering, whispering

I pulled one hand, and followed with the other.

 

Feel the venom poisoning me

From the ground, both in front and behind me, and in the places where the embers had fallen, sprouted fang-like flames. The two pairs grew and made it look like I was in the mouth of a gigantic sharp-toothed beast that was about to swallow me.

 

 

Slither, slither, slither

The ‘fangs’ swayed with me and looked like  _slithering_  snakes.

 

Put your fangs into my back

The flames in front of me grew smaller while the flames behind me elongated and stretched and curved over my shoulder like teeth.

 

Slither, slither, slither

The swaying flames returned.

 

Think I don't know where you're at

With each beat, I turned my head in another direction and pretend to look around for my target.

 

 

I use you

Another set of chains grab one wrist.

 

I'm no good

The remaining ‘freedom’ is taken. Or was it?

 

Need to be in control

A new set, but this time it was around my neck.

 

I said I use you

I pretend to be pulled down again.

 

I'm no good

And again, I sink lower.

 

Need to be in control

I let my hands and head drop.

 

 

I've fallen deep into a

I let myself look pitiful.

 

Pit of vipers

I shot back up, breaking all the chains.

 

Sliding over me, over me

But they wouldn’t give up.

 

And I can't break free

And they reattached right back.

 

Secrets run deep when you're in a

The flames began to lick up my arms from the chains.

 

Pit of vipers

I pretended to scream as I splayed my arms.

 

 

S-s-slithering, whispering

A snake made of fire over one shoulder, and another over the other.

 

Feel the venom poisoning me

The large fangs returned.

 

 

I've fallen deep into a

I fell dramatically.

 

Pit of vipers

And sprang back up once more.

 

Sliding over me, over me

But was so wrapped up that it appeared like a useless fight.

 

And I can't break free

I gave the elemental the most pitiful expression I could.

 

 

Secrets run deep when you're in a

I pretended to be yanked down further.

 

Pit of vipers

And the fire increased around me in a beautiful display of spirals, ricocheted, and small explosions, accompanied by sparks.

 

S-s-slithering, whispering

I was yanked this way, and that way.

 

Feel the venom poisoning me

The flames engulfed me.

 

 

Slither, slither, slither

Still in flaming chains, a swirl of fire circled me three times, looking like a shooting star.

 

Put your fangs into my back

I veered out of the way as the shooting star turned into a snake and tried to bite me.

 

Slither, slither, slither

It circled around me three times again.

 

Think I don't know where you're at

This time I dodged the other way.

My eyes flashes to sapphire and filled with tears.

 

I use you

The azure flames swept through me.

 

I'm no good

And again.

 

Need to be in control

Before engulfing me entirely.

  
I said I use you

They released me, but swept through me again.

 

I'm no good

And again.  


Need to be in control

And one final time.

I looked up with big blue eyes as fat tears dripped.

 

This is how you make me feel

The chains broke and I let myself fall into a heap. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, while editing this chapter, I realized I'd need to use a specific word that trolls use often when they are mocking others. Please understand that I do not use the word 'trigger' lightly. Every time I become defensive towards others, it is because I am being triggered by emotions, thoughts, sounds, or visuals that were part of negative events in my past.
> 
>  **Warning** : If I receive any disrespectful comments in correlation to my use of trigger or the usual trolling and mockery, I will not respond. Instead, you will be blocked and your comment deleted. This is your only warning to be a better person. Trolls and bullies of any sort are beneath everyone else because they stoop to such lows and make others feel bad so they feel good. That is nothing short of pathetic and I do not want your conceit or ignorance anywhere on my stories or profile.
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD: How many others (and who specifically) do you think saw Rachel's performance?**


	8. WHO IS IN CONTROL?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> During Rachel's fiery performance, Sans tries to hack into her computer. And when confronted, instead of apologizing, demands are made and Rachel appears to lose HoPe. Can someone save her from herself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forshadowing ensues........AHHHHHHH!!!!!

There were a couple moments of unbroken silence and I had stopped the next song from playing right when the sound of applause and a delighted squeal had me jumping to my feet in surprise.

 

“Darling, that was fabulous!” Oh, that was a voice that would only work for one monster in this world.

“Mettaton!” I eyed the robot worriedly. “Can I help you?”

 

“I watched your performance and I was so pleased. Oh my! The dramatic flair, the overwhelming emotion, and so much natural talent!” He grasped my shoulders as soon as he was close enough. “Have you ever wanted to be a performer?”

 

“I have wanted to be a voice actor before, but I’m a perfectionist and with my emotional… _stuff_ , getting rejected is harder for me.”

 

“Well, precious, I would love to have you work for me! MTT Studios would love to have someone with such beautiful, raw, emotional talent like you showcased to the world. Your lips were perfectly synced with that song and your use of fire magic was elegant and superb. Pardon me, but you handled that with quite the  _fiery_  disposition!”

 

I deadpanned, “Oh my goodness, Sans has gotten to you, too! All things considered, that has me worried with how much of a cranky-pants and jerkwad he is in this dimension. Where is that dingus anyway?”

 

“Hmm,” The robot placed his perfectly manicured metal finger to his shiny, perfectly puckered lips. “I had just finished meeting with him when your music started. I rushed off immediately to find out what was going on, but he didn’t follow. It’s a shame, but I did catch you on video. There are cameras all over, and I had them track your movements from various angles. Oh, it was glorious.”

 

Potential of purple punster hearing ‘himself’ sing confirmed. However, the knowledge that Metts had a recording of me…

 

I grumbled. “I need a nap.”

 

“Well, considering the skill you showcased with that performance, I will allow it.” Grillby approved happily. “I am intrigued by how music seems to affect your abilities. I wonder what will happen when other songs are incorporated. And if music is the key to success, is there a way to always have it at your disposal?”

 

“We’ll get back to that later. I  **need**  rest.”

 

I headed back inside, the fiery barrier no longer in the way. I walked through the halls and saw no one as I walked to my bedroom door.

 

But the sight I came upon as I entered was appalling.

 

“EXCUSE ME!” I shouted at the skeleton trying to unlock my computer.

 

For his part, Sans jolted out of his seated position at the desk that was in the room since before I arrived in this world, looking rightly guilty and ashamed.

 

“heh, thought the robot would grab your attention for a bit longer than that.”

 

“You should be ashamed of yourself.” I declared as I stalked up to him and snatched my Renovo from his hands. “I understand that you don’t trust me and that you’re curious, but trying to unlock my  _personal_   _computer_  is by far one of the lowest things you can pull with me.”

 

I put the computer back in the bag it came in and turned back to the stunned skeleton. “Like  **you** , I have trust issues. And because you felt like being a jerk, I’m not going to unlock this computer and show you anything. So, now you’re gonna have to wait longer to see anything related to you or the rest of Undertale. I hope you learned your lesson and realize that what you tried to do was wrong, if not now, then by the time you get answers when I do decide to share that stuff via my computer. Now, get out!”

 

He didn’t move. In fact, his expression had darkened as I spoke, and by the time I had shouted for him to leave, the white lights in his eyes had vanished and were replaced by two disks of flashing blue and yellow light.

 

“how dare you think you can order me around? you might be some big shot who can learn magic with tricks like music, but when you’re here, you obey  **my**  rules. that includes letting me look at whatever stuff is on your computer. yeah, i tried to open it without permission. but i’m still  **in charge here** , so if you want to stay here as a guest, and  **not**  a prisoner, suck it up and unlock it. that is an order.”

 

Something inside me broke. And Sans seemed to see it, too, as his eyes widened and his expression became fearful. I didn’t speak; I only looked at him with an empty gaze. It occurred to me later that my HoPe had died temporarily – it was only there because when I realized what world I was in, I was excited; my previous had destroyed most of it already. I was excited to meet the person who now stood before me. But that was destroyed when I realized that that person wasn’t who I thought he was.

 

Finally, I opened my mouth and said in a voice that was empty and with just enough volume to make it hurt as much as the words that were said, “It never occurred to me that of all the people I could ever HoPe to meet, you would be the one to disappoint me so much.”

 

He choked up, and without responding, teleported away. I didn’t care where he went; in fact, I didn’t care about anything at all. A familiar tune began to play around me, whether from my phone or my will alone, but the song was one I listened to whenever I felt that the world was out to get me. After all, I was never in “[Control](http://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=so8V5dAli-Q)”. But this time, I sang to the melody and let my soft voice lead the lyrics without thought, effort, or Halsey’s singing to help me.

 

As I sang, I walked blindly, the room seeming to vanish as a dark dismal hallway took its place. The scenery had no effect on me as I walked, voice unwavering, pace unaffected by the almost terrifying atmosphere around me.

 

_They send me away to find them a fortune_

_A chest filled with diamonds and gold_

_The house was awake_

_With shadows and monsters_

_The hallways they echoed and groaned_

 

_I sat alone, in bed 'til the morning_

_I'm crying, "They're coming for me"_

_And I tried to hold these secrets inside me_

_My mind's like a deadly disease_

 

I finally shuddered as the lyrics took ahold of me, the energy surging within and the emptiness all-consuming.

 

_I'm bigger than my body_

_I'm colder than this home_

_I'm meaner than my demons_

_I'm bigger than these bones_

 

I began to move erratically, a boiling anger consuming me as I assaulted the emptiness around me until, by the last line, I had fallen to the ground in a heap of almost twisted anguish.

 

_And all the kids cried out,_

_"Please stop, you're scaring me"_

_I can't help this awful energy_

_Goddamn right, you should be scared of me_

_Who is in control?_

 

I stood up again and sluggishly continued to trek the eerie hall once more.

 

_I paced around for hours, on empty_

_I jumped at the slightest of sounds_

_And I couldn't stand the person inside me_

_I turned all the mirrors around_

 

My arm had thrust out, crushing a mirror that was hanging to my right. The shards slashed my hand, but unlike when I was in my world, there was no pain. I looked down at the blood as I continued to sing. Through the remains of the mostly-shattered mirror, I saw a reflected figure, wisps of darkness surrounding them, a glint of metal over their shoulder. Familiar, but I kept moving…

 

_I'm bigger than my body_

_I'm colder than this home_

_I'm meaner than my demons_

_I'm bigger than these bones_

 

_And all the kids cried out,_

_"Please stop, you're scaring me"_

_I can't help this awful energy_

_Goddamn right, you should be scared of me_

_Who is in control?_

 

The bubbling manic laughter almost burst from my lips, but something in my chest squeezed it too tight. It was so much more painful than the cuts on my hand, but it still didn’t affect my singing.

 

_I'm well acquainted_

_With villains that live in my bed_

_They beg me to write them_

_So they'll never die when I'm dead_

 

_And I've grown familiar_

_With villains that live in my head_

_They beg me to write them_

_So I'll never die when I'm dead_

 

I wasn’t aware, but as I sang, I changed. The longer I sang, the less control of myself I had. If I had been in my right mind, I would have stopped. But I wasn’t. And I began to lose the rest of who I was supposed to be…

 

_I'm bigger than my body_

_I'm colder than this home_

_I'm meaner than my demons_

_I'm bigger than these bones_

 

_And all the kids cried out,_

_"Please stop, you're scaring me"_

_I can't help this awful energy_

_Goddamn right, you should be scared of me_

_Who is in control?_

 

_And all the kids cried out,_

_"Please stop, you're scaring me"_

_I can't help this awful energy_

_Goddamn right, you should be scared of me_

_Who is in contro-_

 

“RACHEL!”

 

I had a full body shudder, and with that – the shout of my name at the last second before the song was complete – I was free from the evil grasp as it seemed to flee back within me. However, with that freedom came unconsciousness and I fell forward, unaware if the one who broke the  _curse_  had gotten to me before I hit the ground. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> QOTD: Do you have any song suggestions for me?


	9. HEY, IF YOU HAVE THE TIME, CAN YOU PLEASE SAVE ME FROM MYSELF?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel regains consciousness about the events of the last chapter, but is still too numb from the impact it had on her Soul and psyche. Hovering in a state where she is within herself but unable to converse, she leaves when MTT uses the opportunity to share some info she would rather not be out in the open. Will a talk with her Mother in a Pseudo-Heaven help ease her worries so that she can do what she needs to do or will she fall back, and possibly further, into dispair?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I like this chapter now that I've edited it. I added a lot more, including stuff to balance out Pap's character in relation to Sans' and added some stuff to use later on. I'm so proud of myself. *puffs out chest*

When I regained consciousness, and opened my eyes, I found myself surrounded by many people.

 

“She’s awake!” Dogaressa barked, clearly shaken but calming down now that she knew I was safe. Large tears had budded and were pouring in long streaks her eyes, thoroughly coating her fur so that it hung down her, part of it past her jaw.

 

Out of everyone, she seemed like the most troubled out of all. She reminded me of how I expected Toriel would be; a motherly individual who wants the best for me and to keep me safe.

 

“Good! Now out of the way so I can pummel her!”

 

“Captain, no!”

 

The fish woman invaded my space, pulling me up by my collar.

 

“You are even more dramatic than that tin can, y’know that? I saw what you did! You created an alternate space that nearly consumed you.”

 

“Huh…?” I didn’t meet her eyes as I whispered, not really thinking. Even though I was no longer consumed by the darkness within me, I still felt numb and empty.

 

Images of the figure I saw in the shattered remnants of mirror flashed in my mind. Now that I wasn’t consumed by the darkness, I realized what I had done. Or almost done, I guess. Undyne’s phrasing of it hit me hard.

 

“Ha,” I huffed bitterly. “I guess my desire to give up was so intense, I unlocked a part of me that could very easily destroy my core as easily as everything else in sight.”

 

“That’s all you have to say? Believe me, punk, it’s obvious you’re a suicidal little shit! What what if I told you Papyrus ran into that space after you and pulled you out before it closed? Would you care then?”

 

I continued looking ahead. “…’m sorry, but I can’t feel anything right now. I’m totally numb.” My voice was so soft and from the looks everyone was giving me, everyone was shaken.

 

“What happened that caused that?”

 

I finally gazed up at her with dead eyes that made her flinch. “Ask Sans…”

 

It was like a shudder came over my entire being. I could see and hear and everything else, but my being was trapped within me. It was like I wasn’t a part of my body anymore.

 

“Oh stars, she’s not moving!” Undyne panicked. “Why are her eyes glazed over like that? Someone get Sans right now!”

 

“i’m already here. what’s going…?” He trailed off as soon as he got a good look at me. I don’t know how I looked to any of them, but something about me was clearly alarming. It reminded me of Gabe’s face when I locked gazes with him for the last time.

 

For a moment, Sans just stood there, jaw unhinged. But slowly, his expression turned mortified.

 

“is she alive?” He asked with concern that confused me.

 

“Yes, she’s breathing. But it’s like her Soul is vacant.”

 

“She wasn’t kidding when she said she felt empty. Damnit, nerd! What the hell happened?”

 

“Captain, don’t say that to–”

 

“no, i deserve it. i was…i tried breaking into her computer without her permission and she caught me. started yelling about trust issues and how she understood mine and that by trying to pry, i was…well, anyway. she yelled at me to leave and i tried to force her to give in by using my  _authority_ against her and said if she didn’t comply, i’d imprison her.”

 

He paused, shuffling uncomfortably, his gaze having dropped to his feet guiltily. He sighed and continued, “it was like something within her broke and her eyes turned gray and her body slackened. then, she said something like  _of all the people i have wanted to meet, i have never been so disappointed_. it was weird that hearing her say that hurt so much. i couldn’t think straight, so i teleported away to my room, and i was panicking. by the time i was okay again, i heard what pap did.”

 

“So, this  _is_  your fault?” The fish woman said gruffly.

 

“yeah, i was selfish and i took it way too far. she’s not a monster citizen and yet she still helped pap. i guess he did what he did to return the favor.”

 

“NO, I DID IT BECAUSE IT WAS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. ALSO, A PART OF HER SOUL CALLED OUT TO ME FOR HELP.”

 

“what? what do you mean ‘a part of her soul’? if a soul calls out, it’s the whole thing.”

 

“HER SOUL IS DIFFERENT. I KNOW IT WAS HER SOUL BECAUSE IT HELD HER ESSENCE. BUT THE CALL FOR HELP CAME FROM A DARK PART OF HER. HER GUARDIAN’S SOUL IS LIKE THAT, TOO. IT’S HER, BUT THE PERSONALITY IS DIFFERENT AND THEY ARE PROTECTIVE.”

 

“So wait, you can sense more about Souls than just the Soul Trait?” Undyne asked, earning a nod from the tall skeleton. “Wow, I guess Sans isn’t the only one with a special Soul-related gift.”

 

 “so, is she a mage, pap?” Sans inquired.

 

“NO, I HAVE SEEN A MAGES SOUL. EVEN IF UNTAPPED, THE MAGIC EXISTS. I SAW A MAGE DURING THE SIEGE WHERE…” He paused and shook his head. “SHE IS NOT LIKE THE MAGE I SAW. HER POWER IS IN LAYERS AND IT APPEARS THAT SHE HAS MORE THAN ONE PERSON WITHIN HER.

 

“BUT ONLY FOUR ARE WITHIN REACH, ONE EXISTING SEPARATELY WHOM HAS BEEN DUBBED ‘SOUL’. I SAW GLIMPSES OF THE ONE THAT CALLED OUT TO ME WHEN SHE CREATED THAT SCARY PLACE. IT WAS FLICKERING, BUT VANISHED WHEN I CALLED OUT TO HER.”

 

“So, what happened exactly?”

 

“I CAME RUSHING AND HEARD HER SINGING. HER VOICE WAS FULL OF PAIN. SHE SOUNDED LIKE SHE WAS SUFFERING FOR YEARS. I COULD NOT IGNORE HER! AND HER SINGING WAS BEAUTIFUL, ESPECIALLY SINCE IT HAD MAGIC OF ITS OWN.”

 

“Yes,” Mettaton confirmed. “It would appear that she had some talent for singing without magic, but said magic amplified her vocal abilities immensely. Her voice was alluring and haunting, but also filled with intense sorrow. I have a theory based off what you said, Sans.”

 

“what do you mean?” His tone was threatening.

 

“I might be wrong, but I believe this girl has feelings for you,  _your majesty_.”

 

Having it out there at a time when I couldn’t stop the robot was infuriating. In fact, it was so infuriating that I forcefully vacated my body before I could hear Sans’ response.

 

My spirit travelled up, and I soon reached a light within the sky.

 

~Hello dear! How is life? Are you making new friends? I saw your fiery performance.~

 

_Please stop. I’m angry and hurt and just…AGGGGGHHHHHH!_

 

~You love making things about you, my dear girl. I mean, that’s the reason why everything keeps getting out of hand. People disagree with you, and you make it even worse by being extremely dramatic.~

 

_Shut up! He broke into my computer! He should have known better! And then he went off and tried to use his freaking **king-ness** on me, even though I’m higher of a fucking totem pole than him!_

 

~You do realize that if you were more mature about it and told him that without guilt-tripping him, that things would be different. The ‘fucking totem pole’ has nothing to do with what happened. Besides, even with your status, you lack the control necessary to take your place on top. To get that control, you will need to work with these people. That means being respectful and  **not**  metaphorically biting people’s heads off. If you deal with situations more calmly, then you can get far better results.~

 

_I can’t with my whacked-out emotions, and you know it!_

 

~That excuse only worked when you didn’t have Soul or your magic to assist you. Now, if you ask Soul to help you, he can help you regulate. I personally told him that you had to ask first. And I knew you would have a tantrum soon enough, which you did, so I do think this is necessary.~

 

_Fine, but first tell me why I ‘broke’ when Sans tried to order me around!_

 

~Because you overdramatized, and you lost all HoPe, so your Soul shattered. However, because you have more than one of you, as Papyrus explained, they were able to keep you together. The other versions of you each have a copy of the original, and you have a copy of all of them. The end result is if you shatter, they can put you back together as long as you have a single speck of HoPe, which Papyrus provided. However, because it was only a speck, you lost consciousness because you were too weak.~

 

_What about if they are destroyed?_

 

~If all the other versions are destroyed, you can single-handedly bring them all back through the power of an extra Soul Traits that are native to Earth. There are actually are few extra Soul Traits that exist, but they aren’t like the Undertale Soul Traits in that they aren’t personality trait but additions to the original Soul Traits instead, and are only temporary. Two that will help you in this scenario are Peace, or Freedom if you will, and Willpower. They are the colors white and black. These traits together can bring back all the other versions of you in an instant since you are already extremely powerful.~

 

_Good to know. So you didn’t say **why**  my HoPe shattered?_

 

~What Mettaton said before you left is true, and is part of the reason. The hope that was ‘shattered’ was because you feel that this Sans doesn’t meet your ‘expectations’, a word I know you hate. He’s only ‘out of character’ because he was forced into a different situation than that of the classic Undertale. One reason you are here is to bring the Sans you know and  **l _ooooo_ ve** back into the light. Right now, he’s a grumpy and agitated because he is overworked and not able to take a long enough break, by his standards. But in time, and with your assistance, he will turn back into his goofy, pun-loving, prankster self. I guess you can say you need each other’s help to get where you want to be.~

 

_Was he supposed to find out this soon that I liiiiike him?_

 

~Oh, ha, ha! I guess that’s up to you. You have the ability to see into the future, my dear. I am not going to give you any hints for that when you can find it yourself. Is that all you want to know? You should get back.~

 

_Can’t you just help me with this once? Please! Then I can go back and try._

 

~Hmm, very well. I’ll say this. I would wait for a time when he asks you personally.  **Then**  would be a good time to tell him the truth.~

 

_Okay, thanks!_

 

I could see a ghost of a smile as my Mother waved. I descended back down and the force of my spirit colliding with my body shook me and I could move again.

 

“Ow…” I moaned.

 

“Shit, you sound normal again! Was that all an act?”

 

I look up at the pissed fish. “No, I don’t think so. It was a mental thing, but I just had a chat with Mother, and she cleared some stuff up. I’m sorry I overreacted. I didn’t realize that there were ways I could have avoided my unstable emotions. Soul, would you help me in the future?”

 

**“It would be my pleasure.”**

 

“Thanks. And to everyone else, I’m sorry for worrying you. I will try to be better at dealing with  _this_.” I gestured to myself.

 

“It’s alright, pup. You’ll get there, and you will have help.” I met the motherly dog’s gaze and smiled.

I met Sans’ gaze briefly, but turned away. I saw him visibly flinch from the corner of my eye and felt a sigh from the heavens above. Not yet, Mother.

 

“I would like to be alone for a bit, please.”

 

“Fine, punk, but lunch is soon. If you’re not there for it, you don’t get fed.”

 

“Captain!”

 

“Don’t mother her, soldier! If she doesn’t eat with us, then she doesn’t eat at all.”

 

“Is it just me or did you steal that from Beauty and the Beast?”

 

“What?” The fish warrior is confused by your question.

 

“Never mind.”

 

“Whatever,” Undyne muttered, turning back to the dog monster. “C’mon, Dogaressa. Dog-Mama has to go.”

 

The dog monster looked downtrodden, but didn’t argue. Instead she turned to me. “Do join us, dear.” I nodded hesitantly.

 

With that, everyone filed out of the room. When I was alone, I turned to Soul.

 

“Can you show me what happened while I was ‘out’?” I made air quotes.

 

 **“When you say ‘out’, do you mean when you decided to ditch your body?”** He replied smugly.

 

“Yes,” I almost growled. “Please.”

 

**“Okay, close your eyes and lean back.”**

 

I obeyed and watched as a blue holographic image replayed Mettaton’s dialogue from before I ascended.

 

 

> “I might be wrong, but I believe this girl has feelings for you,  _your majesty_.”  
>     
>  The skeleton king sputtered, clearly not expecting that. “wha? why would you say that?”  
>     
>  “Well, if we’re going by how you used to be before all this ‘king of monsters’ stuff happened, you were very popular. You still are, and I often get mail asking me if you are going to take a break to perform your comedy routine again. I feel dreadful every time I break the hearts of your fans.”  
>     
>  Sans grumbled. “just because i was a comedian before my life when to shit doesn’t mean she has a thing for me.”  
>     
>  “Oh psssshh, ‘was’ is the wrong word. You could return to being the charming, funny, loveable little nerd you once were. The only thing stopping you is your time-consuming occupation. As both the king and the judge, you work tirelessly. She was right about you needing assistance. You are running yourself ragged.”  
>     
>  “what does this have to do with her having a thing for me?”  
>     
>  “When she first arrived, I noticed it immediately. She had a spark in her eyes and she blushed when she got her first real look at you. Her smile was shy and she tried to play it off by being sassy. There were small signs here and there, and given that she mentioned behaviors and even the outfit you used to wear is a big hint. Being an actor, I can find these things easily. You have so much sleep deprivation that I’m not surprised you wouldn’t see it.”  
>     
>  “i…i don’t think so.” He sounded reluctant, but like crushed hope. I frowned.  
>     
>  “And furthermore, what you just said made me even more sure. You have changed from your punny, comedic self. She’s probably used to that, and really, who doesn’t love to laugh? She has clearly suffered from depression for a long time, so someone who makes her laugh is more appealing. Furthermore, you were so calm and laidback. Ordering her around, being loud and using harsh tone, which we were told she has issues with, may have been too much for her personal vision of you. Yes, I’m almost certain of it. She has a major crush on you!”               

 

“Okay, stop!”

 

The projection vanished and I exhaled.

 

“Damnit!” I hissed.

 

**“It will be okay in the end.”**

 

“I need to learn how to see into the future.”

 

**“Sure, we can have some personal training with just you and me on the side. It can even be just us if working with the monsters doesn’t help.”**

 

“Okay. Cool. Thanks, Soul.”

 

There was a noise from right outside my door and I turned my head to listen.

 

**“Seems that punster was listening in. Hmm, I wonder if listening to us might have convinced him that Mettaton was right.”**

 

“Shit!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Now that we know about the temporary trait of Peace/Freedom (white) and Willpower (black), what other temporary Soul Trait additions do you think there might be?**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> No, this is not an attempt to use your ideas in my fic later on, I swear. ;p  
> Credit is always given to others' ideas that I use. ;3


	10. FOR LUNCH, WE'LL BE SERVING SOME SPITEFULNESS WITH A HINT OF SASS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get spiteful sass as Rachel's defense mechanism make lunch an awkward occasion thanks to previous spitefulness courtesy of Undyne, Sans, and Mettaton. After lunch, we get a look at the more physical changes in Rachel, with more sass, spitefulness, and humor, courtesy of memes. 
> 
>  
> 
> _Ho no, don't do it!_  
>  Oh my god!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is more aimed toward Rachel's/my personality and quirks, and upcoming physical and mental changes. It's supposed to be partially for silliness, but also to show how I am towards people I have no respect for. There will be a lot of disrespect towards humans in this story. But I make sure to point out that not everyone is like this. I have met a lot of good people. But as there are over 4 billion people, there are a lot of bad people out there. And I have had to deal with some of them. 
> 
> One thing to keep in mind is that whenever I have spats of dialogue where I diss humanity, it corralates to times when I have done so in real life. The reason it happens is something triggers it. I am not always hateful, but if I am forced to be around people who act like assholes (like Undyne, Sans, and MTT are in this chapter), I immediately defend by attacking. 
> 
> I used this chapter to portray that while still having humor later on. I started out with spitefulness and ended with humor. But I hope that I managed to convey what I wanted to convey properly. Let me know. And two QOTD in case people are uncomfortable by the first one. Also, this is going under Humor since I'm sick of putting stuff in "drama". Just go with it.
> 
>  
> 
> **Update: So, my dog passed away on Saturday, the 15th. So if updates go back to Thursday's only, that's why. It's kind of hard to be creative. And my dogs are like brothers. Bare with me.**

Lunch was a silent affair where I made sure to get a place as far away from a snooping skeleton as I could. Unfortunately, by the time I had arrived, only two seats were available, and they were side by side, with one of them being directly next to Sans.

 

I glared at the other monsters, particularly Mettaton, who wasn’t even attempting to hide his smugness.

 

I was quick to put in my Bluetooth headphones and quietly play some random music. I wasn’t sure if they could hear it, but I half-hoped they didn’t.

 

“No one wants to hear that right now, punk!” Fuck my life!

 

I let my eyes flash red at her as I turned it off and yanked out the earbuds. It would appear my natural spitefulness was bubbling to the surface, especially since I had a bunch of assholes who were doing everything they could to be what the insult implied.

 

As for me, I did this kind of thing back home for several different reasons: making a show about holding my breath when passing smokers because I hated the smell and looked down on them for polluting the air, glaring at drivers whose music was loud and obnoxious and going further by making ‘really’ gestures at them regardless of if they saw or not.

 

I spited those who acted like assholes from my perspective. When you live a shitty life, caring about what others thought of actions like eventually stopped mattering. It was about getting revenge. But these behaviors came with me when I was brought to this world. I would give them one change, however.

 

“Would anyone mind if I ate elsewhere?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“yep.”

 

Well, I tried to be fair.

 

It took everything in my power not to set the captain and the king on fire. Soul was quick to do as I asked of him, wrapping around me and letting positive energy seep into me as well as cutting off my ability to generate heat. Gradually, I regained control, and just in time for the meal to come out. However, the spitefulness didn’t go away. I used that to my advantage.

 

Every time Mettaton, Undyne, or Sans tried to talk to me, I would immediately turn to someone else and ask a question or ask them to pass something over. And sometimes, I would just make a comment about how good the food was.

 

“so, kid, i–”

 

“Oh man! This cheesy broccoli is fantastic. Kudos to the chefs! Mmm-mmmm!”

 

“uhhhh…” Sans trailed off.

 

When it became clear that I wasn’t going to stop, all communication except for the asking and passing of food, ceased. I was the first to finish, and I excused myself.

 

“Punk, what the hell was–”

 

“It’s interesting!” I said thoughtfully, my volume rising above hers until she was quiet. “I go out of my way to apologize and then get stabbed in the back almost immediately after. I’m appalled; who’d have thought that some of these people who are considered to be made up of love and compassion could be so spiteful. Well, two can play at this game, I guess.”

 

I walked out without another word, cracking my knuckles one at a time. The aura behind me spoke volumes; Undyne was in shock, Mettaton was fearful, and Sans was mortified. There was a shudder with each loud pop. Good, because I’m trying to behave, but I don’t intend to go down without a fight if others think that messing with me is a game. If you can dish it, you better be prepared to take it!

 

Back in my room, I was quick to unlock my computer. When it was fully loaded, I scanned for any changes that Sans could have done.

 

“Did he do anything?” I asked Soul.

 

**“Let’s see.”**  He tapped various places.  **“No, it would appear he spent all of his time trying to unlock it. There is some pending software that he was planning to use that was disconnected incorrectly because you arrived and he needed to get rid of the evidence. But by my calculations, the computer would need to be unlocked and the device he had plugged in at the same time.**

 

**“The device appears to be a copying mechanism. It would copy all the data the computer holds, including the connection to your world. Wow, he really stepped out of bounds. Lady Och doesn’t want him anywhere near your world unless you and I are present. He might get into trouble if he tries that again. The balance could be disrupted and then there might be too much chaos.”**

 

I huffed. “Of course. Why the hell would he have dropped his secretiveness? No, he had to drop the puns and the goofiness. The stuff that makes him interesting. God damnit! I have the worst luck!”

 

**“That is not the issue. You are making this about you again.”**

 

“What do you expect? My entire life has been shit and now I’m in a world with characters I really like. But then the guy who I really connected with for more reasons than one turns out to be a grumpy, intrusive asshole.”

 

**“It’s funny because we’re talking about a guy who would say he doesn’t have an ass.”**

 

I snorted. “To that I would ask what he  _sits on_ , then.”

 

Soul laughed, and I couldn’t help but smile a bit.

 

**“Hey, changing the subject for a second. Did you notice that you don’t have to dye your hair anymore?”**

 

I stood up and made my way to the mirror that double as locked storage. Sure enough, the place where my dirty blonde roots had begun to show through the blue black of the dye now matched and the blue was shinier than ever.

 

“That’s the color I always wanted my hair to be.”

 

**“Indeed. And now it’s a reality.”**

 

“How?”

**“That would be your aura dragging the current hair dye magically into your roots to essentially make it your natural hair color. The hair dye was darker with less blue, so this added azure color is your aura doing its job to balance your physical body.**

**“As time moves forward, other changes should happen. Like your body! I personally think some of those will make you far happier.”**

 

I grinned the first real, peaceful, and genuinely close to happy grin in my life that I could remember. It was a start to having the happiness I always wanted. It was about damn time. Honestly!

 

“Did you bring it up to prove a point?”

 

**“Well, considering your thought process** ,” I scowled at that and his snickering,  **“yes. My point was that it is not all bad. So, stop being so negative, damn it!”**

 

I began cackling before dissolving into crazy giggling.

 

“Ohhhhhh-hohohooooo, you just maaaa-hehehe-de my day, Soul! Ha, ha! Thank you!” I snorted.

 

**“I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself now**.” He was so smug.

 

“You do realize I know that you were implying that I’m still fat, though. I haven’t lost any of my two hundred plus pounds. At five feet four inches, I am overweight.”

 

**“Oh shut up! You will get there eventually! You won’t get what you want by complaining! Work out more! At least you don’t have to worry about wearing glasses.”**

 

I blew raspberries at him, and grinned. “Whatever, fine.”

 

Sitting back in the desk chair, I plugged in the dying laptop before opening my email. I deadpanned as I took in the amount of what I would consider ‘spam’. They were emails from countless people that could be listed under family, friends, and/or...various assholes. They were trash beside the twenty or more emails signaling fan fiction updates.

 

“Would it considered ‘wrong’ if I replied to some of these  _buttfaces_  and act like a  _sasshole_?”

 

**“Rachel…”**  His voice held a warning.

 

“You know, throw in a #idon’tspeakasshat or a #fuckyousir, with an added image of someone with a top hat, curly mustache, and a single eyeglass thing!” I wiggled my eyebrows teasingly.

 

**“Oh my god…”**

 

“Oh my Mom and Uncles?” My grin only elongated while my eyebrows danced.

 

**“Do shut up.”**

 

I snorted, clutching my sides as I laughed loud enough for anyone within a couple feet to hear me clearly.

 

Speaking of…

 

“What the hell is going on in here?” The blue fish barged in.

 

**“Rachel’s sassy side has reawakened.”**  The tail dramatically fell to the ground as Soul sighed forlornly.

 

“Aww, c’mon! We all know I’m more fun like this! After all, as the song goes... _I was born this way!_ ”

 

**“IT IS TIME TO STOP!”**  As a hologram of a famous YouTube video projected onto a wall…

 

…and I completely lost it again, impersonating the VariantArt emoticon of ‘rolling on floor laughing’.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two QOTD in case peeps don't feel comfortable sharing for the first one.
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD 1: Do you have any personality quirks that help you out in situations that are uncomfortable, awkward, or make you angry?**
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD 2: What is your favorite meme?**


	11. HE’S AN ASSHOLE, YOU’RE AN ASSHOLE, EVERYONE’S AN ASSHOLE, SO SHUT YOUR FACE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel is on her computer, reading through and sending reply emails to Gabe and parents, although the messages are the opposite of nice and friendly. So what will happen when a certain skeleton comes by to apologize while Rachel is in a state of anger? And what will happen when a certain subject is approached before Rachel is ready for it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sassy titles are always sassy! Heh heh!

Later that night, I was scrolling through my emails and came upon a message from Gabe.

 

_[Rachel,_

 

_The police say you vanished into the sky in a burst of electricity. I’m not sure what you did, but hiding will not work in the long run. You are in a lot of trouble and the sooner you come back, the better._

 

_Gabe]_

 

I snorted.  _Moron!_

 

I found another message from the morning two days ago.

 

_[Rachel,_

 

_You cannot keep hiding forever. I am not sure where you are, but you need to return or at least let someone know where you are._

_Gabe]_

 

I sneered, opening a reply and typing:

 

_[How about you stop acting all high and mighty and stop contacting me. For your information, you won’t be able to find me cuz I’m not on your damn planet anymore. Good riddance. I don’t need asshats like you being dickwads and treating me like shit anymore. Fuck you! Hope your eye is forever fucked up like your soul or lack of one! Go to hell, asstard!]_

 

I sent it without a second glance, without thinking, and without remorse.

 

**“That was a really stupid move.”**

 

“Whatever, he deserved it after all the crap he put me through. This is the first time I can curse him out without worry of repercussions.”

 

**“You don’t know that it won’t come back to haunt you in the long run.”**

 

“That would be a shitty thing for Life to do to me if it did. But think about it this way. It’s Karma shitting in his face for being a cruel person. I will, however, let my family know I’m safe and that I’m glad to be free of that hell that they forced me to stay in.”

 

I had read through a few of the emails and for the most part, they seemed to be written by parents who were ‘worried sick’ for their child. But the people who raised me never trusted me when I said something was wrong and even confessed that leaving me with certain people - for six god awful months, might I add - had felt wrong when they initially left me. They were people who kept making the same mistakes because they ‘don’t understand psychology’. And it cost them my respect and trust in them.

 

_[I’m safe, but I’m also away from the world you reside in, which is good because nothing you or anyone else did ever helped me worth a damn. I’m glad I’m away from the people who I cannot respect and trust anymore. I would disown you, but that’s irrelevant. When you called me, “Mom”, after I ran away, I even said out loud that you’re not my mother. A mother would trust that their child was telling them the truth about their pain and wouldn’t let me suffer. They would get to the bottom of the problem instead of backing away from it and letting others deal with it. They wouldn’t interrupt and talk about irrelevant shit that means nothing in the long run since it’s either worthless or known to the other person. And they would trust other people who are clearly assholes trying to fuck them over and only actually care about their money. They would look past the stuff that makes them uncomfortable, like cursing, to the pain and do something about it instead of sitting on their asses because they don’t know what to do._

_Face it! You gave up on me! You failed me!_

 

_Your choices impacted my life so badly. All of it ultimately ruined any respect I have for you. I hate you. I have for a long time. You clearly never held actual love for me or you would have listened and done something instead of assume shit. But instead you let those manipulative assholes have their way. Well, you can’t hurt me anymore, and I can now say that you royally FUCKED UP! If I ever see you again, know that you have no place in my life. I died, but then something amazing happened and I was taken to a place that I might actually be a real part of someday. And it will be away from HUMANS, who are REAL MONSTERS!_

 

_So, to put it mildly, FUCK YOU! You are terrible parents. I hope you don’t fuck Daniel up more. I mean, he already has been fucked over enough. You failed with both of us. But hopefully understand how much you fucked up with me will help you do better with my brother. It’s funny how I see my brother more as family than I do you even after all the messed up shit he got into. Maybe because he changed and got better while you’ve done nothing to change your stupid ways. Still acting like a controlling husband and a pushover wife. You make me sick._

 

_I also love my cousisters still because they deserve it. But you, no! Fuck you, fuck your inability to be good parents, don’t look for me!]_

 

I sent that as a hiss ran down my neck.

 

“who says that to their parents?” Came a voice I wasn’t prepared for.

 

Flinching, I covered it up by glaring over my shoulder at the skeleton. “Me.”

 

“right, right. look, i came in to talk to you about, uh, what happened at lunch.”

 

“Seriously? What, am I in trouble for treating others the same way they treat me?”

 

“uh…”

 

“I targeted only you, Undyne, and MTT. Metts got it because he was being a smug asshole with that seating setup. And thanks to Soul, I know you listening in when I replayed everything and I’m still mad at you for trying to get into my computer. You and Undyne got it because you both spoke up when I was trying to leave so that I could have my space. And don’t pretend it was anything about ‘we eat our meals together’ when you pulled that shit in the throne area. Using the ‘I’m the king’ excuse means nothing since you have starting eating with us again and you can’t have the ‘busy’ excuse because you’re going to get assistance with your work. I could hear the intent with your tone of voice. So yeah, if you’re willing to dish it, well then, you better be willing to take it, too!”

 

“uh, i came in here to apologize about that.”

 

Shit. “Oh.” Crap. “Ohhh…”

 

“but i get that you don’t like me right now.”

 

I pursed my lips.

 

“but i did want to ask if what metts said was true?”

 

_Oh, c’mon, Mom! Really? So soon?! Stop smirking at me from Heaven, damn it!_

 

Soul snorted.

 

“uhhh, did i miss something?”

 

“Fuck!”

 

“whoa, what happened?”

 

“I thought I had more time. Soul, why couldn’t you–”

 

**“Because I’m not going to hold your hand through everything.”**

 

“Fuck you, then!”

 

**“I’m not interested in pursuing that kind of relationship with you.”**

 

“Asshole!”

 

**“Yep, we’re all assholes apparently.”**

 

I growled, slamming my face into the desk.

 

“Fuck, that still hurt!”

 

**“What did you expect?”**

 

“Shut up!”

 

**“Sure, whatever!”**

 

“uh, can you just answer the question. uh…please?” He sounded so timid.

 

“What do you think?”

 

“i don’t know. why would i ask if i knew the answer?” He tossed his arms up exasperatedly.

 

“Well, for your information,” I hesitated, growling. “Fuck! Yes! Yes, I do! Or at least I did before I realized you're nothing like what I expected. I’m not sure why you let your goofy, charming, laid back, punny side go, but it actually, really hurts to see you like this.

 

“Out of everyone, you were the one I was most looking forward to. No one else held a candle to the person who I thought you would be. But apparently, all that died because you became the king and were too stubborn, or  _something_ , to ask for help. And then I came along and because I look human, the immediate response is ‘ **TREAT HER LIKE SHIT!** ’ in all  **BOLDED CAPS**  because that is how it is for me. If I feel like shit, I feel it big!

 

“It broke me inside to realize the person I had an immense amount of things in common with might not exist anymore. That is honestly a tragedy to me. I had no one near me who I truly trusted, so I made a world that was basically inside my own head where I brought characters from every fandom I liked and it just made me feel so safe. I was the center of it, yeah, but that’s just because I felt so worthless in the world I was in. Earth is a terrible place to grow up in, especially if you love magic as much as I do.”

 

Tears were streaming down my face. “I spent my entire life feeling like everything was wrong. And then, as soon as I get sent here…with my hopes up…it is destroyed again. Why do I keep trying to be hopeful when it’s only going to be shattered again?”

 

I had curled into a ball, sobbing, all my inner turmoil bursting forth to the guy who would either be really overwhelmed by it or maybe understand me through it.

 

“i’m sorry.” The creaking of the bed behind me signaled that he had sat down. “i guess i wasn’t being fair. your soul is filled with a lot of hurt, and i guess because of my prejudice, i didn’t want to hear it. but i want to make it up to you, and try harder. because you helped pap, and you gave me advice that i think will help me, and you are really funny.”

 

I looked up at him in question.

 

“i kinda heard your conversation with soul, and there were some inside jokes i didn’t understand. but i think i should start trusting you more. and that starts with opening up, being friendly instead of the asshole i have been, and giving you a chance to be you without my personal shit in the way. so, will you forgive me so we can start over?” He held out a hand.

 

I sniffed, eyeing his palm. “You aren’t going to use what I said against me, are you? I basically just confessed that what Metts said was true. I know you don’t reciprocate because I’m still a stranger, but don’t use it against me. Please.”

 

“i won’t. i’ll say that because we’re only acquaintances, hold that thought. but when i get to know you better, i’ll be able to give you a better response to that. that is, if you still feel the same way.”

 

“Okay, fine.” I took his hand and was greeted with the sound of a wet fart as he yanked me up.

 

“the old woopie cushion in the hand trick. it’s always funny!” He winked, and I felt my beaming smile overtake my face as I laughed.

 

“Yes!” I cheered. “Thank fuck you’re not dead!”

 

He snorted. “thanks, i guess.” He turned and left the room.

 

I grinned, my face stuck. But that’s okay, because I can handle this!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Sans we know and love is making a comeback with the first prank Undertale the game has to offer!
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD: Which one of Sans' jokes is your favorite?**


	12. SEE, WE COULD HAVE BECOME FRIENDS SO MUCH FASTER IF YOU WEREN’T SO JUDGMENTAL!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the truth out there, Rachel is the new grumpy cat. And what's worse is that her former caretakers are trying to reach out. But what if it's a trap? Rachel, Sans, and Soul need a plan!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh references! You make me smile!
> 
>  
> 
> **Update: DeviantArt messed up and posted two chapters today...a glitch maybe. So I'll be posting 12 today, too. Lucky you guys! XD**

**CHAPTER 12: SEE, WE COULD HAVE BECOME FRIENDS SO MUCH FASTER IF YOU WEREN’T SO JUDGMENTAL!**

 

“Oh  _darling_ , I knew I was right!”

 

“Stop.”

 

“But I am so  **proud**  of myself for seeing it!”

 

“Shut up. I  **can**  kill you.”

 

“Did you confess to him, precious? You should! I bet you could even make cute, little–”

 

“OH MY GOD, SHUT YOUR FACE, METTS! ONE MORE WORD ABOUT IT AND I WILL RIP OFF THOSE STUPID LEGS AND SHOVE ONE UP YOUR ASS CLEAVAGE AND THE OTHER DOWN YOUR THROAT!”

 

“Oh my!” I stared dumbfoundedly at a blushing robot. “Why does that make me so hot and bothered?”

 

I didn’t care. I bashed my head against the wall next to me, effectively causing a headache and breaking through the plaster, or whatever it was behind the outside layer.

 

“Kill me now.” I groaned.

 

“What the hell, punk? Did you just headbutt the wall? That was…honestly really bad ass.” She sounded so thoughtful, it was ominous.

 

Retreating my head from the damaged wall, I leveled her with a look. “If you say anything that involves kinks, beating me up, or anything outlandish, I will return to my room and stay there. And before you use the ‘if you stay in your room, you get no meals’, I will have you know that I will find a way around it.”

 

“Why the fuck would you mention kinks?”

 

“Ask Sexioss 18-6th over here. And if you want to know where I got that from, I recommend reminding me later so I can show you YouTube. You might get a real kick out of Game Grumps, and with UT characters animated to their dialogue, whoooooooo! You’ll either laugh your ass off or be scarred for life. Come to think of it, I might be able to use that against people if they try to piss me off.”

 

“i thought we agreed to be friendly.” Sans reminded with a raised brow-bone as he walked around the corner with a clipboard in one hand, the other in his hoodie pocket.

 

“Sans, darling, is it true–”

 

“That I told you to  **shut your face**?” I cut him off. “Yes, yes it is.” I glared at the robot.

 

“But darling!” He pouted.

 

“No! Remember what I said about your legs! And stop thinking thoughts that are clearly R-rated or more. I don’t feel comfortable around you with that creepy look on your face. I’ve already been scarred for life enough. Pick someone else to torture for once. Sheesh!”

 

“uh, what happened? should i be worried?”

 

“You should be worried about MTT being hot and bothered by threats of me ripping his legs off and shoving them into weird places.”

 

“ohhhhhhh kaaaaaaaaaay…i’ll just get back to work.” Classic slow backwards-walking ensues.

 

“Can I come with? That look is chilling and he’ll listen to you if you order him away.”

 

The skeleton relaxed and gave me a smug look. “sure, whatever makes you feel more comfortable.”

 

“Thank the heavens.  _But not you, Mom._ ”

 

He snorted, eye-lights rolling. “c’mon.”

 

For the next hour or so, I stayed with Sans in the throne room. With me working on a small portable table and sitting in a cheap fold-up chair, it was a quiet affair of Sans going through paperwork while I tried to quietly type away on my computer. Unfortunately, I tended to hit the keys aggressively, often without realizing it. Whenever my pace quickened - usually due to my emotions affecting my typing - to such a degree, I caught Sans looking at me worriedly. After adjusting myself again, he looked away. This happened several times.

 

I had yet to read all the one hundred emails my family had sent after I finally replied to them the first time. Out of the twenty I had gone through, most of them spoke of how worried they were and there were apologies strewn through some of them. I felt the vibe of  _‘let’s try again’_  in many of them. And then there were messages of  _‘where are you?’_  and  _‘let’s talk this through’_. To those I replied with shorts bouts of  _‘you won’t find me’_  and  _‘talking never works since you never listened to the hard stuff to begin with’_  and finally,  _‘you should have thought about that before trusting people who only deal with me to get paid’_.

 

I went out of my way to say that my life on Earth had been worthless and when I thought I died, I was thankful because instead of leaving the living without a word, I got to tell them the truth with all the gory details of how much I hated their shit. The emails were back and forth until finally they asked to call me.

 

“Soul, should I talk to them?”

 

 **“That is up to you. As long as you don’t drag anyone here into it, you should be fine.”**  He turned to Sans, whose attention had switched back to us.  **“If we have a call with her former caretakers and we stay in here, you cannot speak.”**

 

“why can’t i speak to them?” He frowned worriedly.

 

**“They know who you are as a character Rachel likes. If they found out about where Rachel is, there is a chance their government could find a way. Rachel was transported here through magic, and that magic is still faintly in the area where she disappeared from Earth. If they use their technology to harness it, they could make a path to here. We need to avoid that until Rachel has control of her abilities.**

**“There is still a lot that she doesn’t know yet. I have little choice but to ease her in gradually so she is not overwhelmed. I also cannot tell you everything as I have been ordered by Lady Och to refrain from sharing certain details until specific times. When you learn of them, you will understand why.**

**“I will say this, however. The humans of Earth, the world Rachel originated from, are probably just as, or even more ruthless, than the humans you have in this world. There have been two World Wars, which are humans fighting other humans. There are still too few who are open to those who are different. Being that she was born different, and living the life she did, Rachel understands a lot more, which puts her in the position to do her job once she gains control. She is a Soul of Integrity, because it takes being treated like dirt, and seeing others being treated just as poorly, to invoke the desire to make life better.**

**“Rachel will eventually need to communicate with Earth and return if necessary. But it’s only if certain events take place. Besides that, if Earth can be saved, Rachel will need to go and be the True Judge of all so that those who have been hurt in the same way she has may be saved. If there is no hope, she will either make the choice to destroy it completely or let it destroy itself. It all comes down to the path they will ultimately choose and her choice, after she has trained. Humans from Earth have destroyed the planet little by little, and have destroyed a lot of the peace among each other since they let their personal prejudices impact their decisions.**

**“In the end, their choices, collectively, will decide their fate. Should they go down the wrong path, and Rachel decides that she will let them destroy themselves instead of wiping it all out herself, she will close all paths and disconnect herself from that world. However, if she disconnects herself, the balance will be destroyed and the world will fall soon after. Thankfully, the decision to save those who didn’t stray from the right path is an option. It all comes down to how the humans choose to go forward.**

**“They might eventually learn about you. For now, however, you must remain out of the picture. If they find out about you now, the chances of them finding a way to this world and doing damage here increases. If they successfully come to this world, they will damage it. These people are greedy, envious, terrible people who have already destroyed their own world. If they see something they want, they will not hesitate to destroy everything to get to it, regardless of consequences. The current leader of the country Rachel lived is one of them. His ego is bigger than the sun, but his intellect is as great as a peanut. If you want a man like that taking control of this world, then don’t listen to me. But if you want to keep these assholes away from your kingdom, stay out of it for the time being.”**

 

Sweat had beaded on Sans’ forehead and a few trickled down by the time Soul had finished his speech.

 

“i understand. am i allowed to listen, though?”

 

**“Yes, but let’s have all the doors to this room closed for the time being. If any of the others barge in while the call is ongoing, and they find out that way, there is an equal chance of this world being found and being ruined by disgusting human filth. This is a risky operation, but it is necessary in that it will help you know your opponents, which they will be, eventually.”**

 

Sans nodded, standing up and pulling his chair over to sit by me, the back of my computer facing him.

“Soul, by any chance, will others be nearby  _them_  during the call?”

 

**“You are right to ask. Yes, because the police were there when you left, and one of them had a camera that caught a bit of the footage, the government has become involved. The president, vice president, or another representative should be listening, as well as other high-level government employees. I will telepathically feed you lines during certain times, and I will ask you to refrain from shifting your eye color or making them glow. If they see you using magic, that could easily become a problem. I will be giving you a story to use instead of ‘you got transported by a bolt of lightning’. Please follow my lead.”**

 

“I will try, but I cannot promise anything. Like you said, I’m a Soul of Integrity. If I feel something needs to be said, especially at a time when people are so focused on me, I will do it. My morals are more important than  _playing nice_ , and my greatest morals are simply ‘treat others equally’ and ‘as long as you are not hurting me or others who are undeserving, I have no problems with you’. However, should they fight those policies, I won’t hesitate to curse them out and give them a piece of my mind.”

 

**“What if they use that against you? What if they hurt someone you genuinely care about?”**

 

“Then give me some way to get them to stop that involves them not knowing about magic. Karmic Energy can be used to make bad stuff happen, and if it’s used just right, then they will either not be able to blame me, or they will be too afraid to disobey me.”

 

**“It will not work like that, Rachel. When humans are scared, they attack.”**

 

“what if i could somehow do something?”

 

“What are you suggesting?”

 

“part of my abilities uses karmic energy, in the form of retribution. however, it would involve a buildup of said energy. if this power can be used to protect others who are genuinely good, i will do so.”

 

I smiled. “I have a thought, and Soul, correct me if I’m wrong. But if Sans focuses on all the negativity that I can force out of them – like if I keep them talking and they confess or even boast about it because some assholes will do that – can that be something that Sans can use to invoke Karmic Retribution?”

 

**“Yes, but instead of using it for its original purpose, let’s take away any means for them to come here and shove it in their face instead. If I temporarily split a portion of my Soul to temporarily use your reality magic and the energy created by Sans’ Karmic Retribution, I can enter Earth’s world and take the remaining energy to return as well.**

**“Only as a last resort should it be used to attack. If all goes according to plan, the magic left behind will be taken away so the humans won’t have a way to come here, and we will have more time for you to train and get control of your abilities until they find another way.”**

 

I nodded and turned to Sans. “How does all of that sound? Once you have enough KR built up, Soul will use it to make hopefully quick work of the energy I left behind when coming here, and whoever we are going to be dealing with will be delayed.”

 

**“Just make sure you are listening to the specific parts that talk about what they are doing to hurt people and anything else you can use to make your KR grow and work the best and easiest.”**

 

The purple-clad skeleton nodded, a hint of a smirk appearing. “sure, i’ve got you covered. let’s get started.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [References are great!](https://youtu.be/EfYRLmSIgEs?t=31s)
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD: What would you do if you were put in the situation about to happen?**


	13. YOU KNOW IT’S A GOOD DAY WHEN YOU GET TO HARASS A U.S. GOVERNMENT ASSHOLE!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Rachel prepare to speak with Rachel's adoptive parents, but a government official has plans which include trying to use Rachel's family as collateral should she disobey. However, given the circumstances (namely that she is safe and has magic) and the butt-load of sass at her disposal, Rachel deals with the situation in a way she only dreamed of doing...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **THIS CHAPTER IS MATURE BECAUSE OF LANGUAGE AND INNUENDOS. IT'S NOT TERRIBLE, BUT IT'S STILL KIND OF BAD, SO JUST IN CASE, HERE'S A WARNING.**

“Okay, no talking for the skeleton.” I reiterated smugly.

 

He gave me a look that said, ‘yeah, i got that.’ His skull was slightly quirked, one brow bone was raised, and eye sockets half-lidded.

 

I clicked my Skype’s **Call** button and waited as it rung. Not even two rings and it was answered and the image of my parents blipped onto the screen. For the time being, I had agreed to call them my parents. But if they proved to be below the expectations yet again, they would have no more chances. I made sure to tell them as much.

 

“Rachel? Can you turn on your video?” My mother inquired as the picture of her sitting shoulder to shoulder with my dad became clear. It was a weird angle and it was clear they were sitting farther away than one would normally when using Skype. In addition, the space around them was unfamiliar; it was probably a government facility.

 

“I don’t really know if I should,” I replied icily. “You can probably tell it’s me from my voice. I mean I know I might not be a distinguishable person with a unique voice and appearance that can only match me alone, but you should be to tell.”

 

“Well, yes, it’s clear by your voice that it is you.” My father answered. “But we want to see your face.”

 

I looked behind me at the wall that, should I choose to turn on the video, would be seen. It was an off-gold color, with a hint more orange. But other than that, there was nothing distinguishable. In fact, I had seen homes and other buildings back on Earth with a similar color. But just to see how far I can take this, I would not give them what they want.

 

“Nah, I don’t think I will right now. Not because I don’t want you to see me. Personally, I’d love for you to see the look of loathing I have on my face. But because I know you’re not alone, and I don’t want anyone _unworthy_ in my business, thank you very much.”

 

“Ms. T------,” A man stepped into the frame directly in front of my parents and from the perspective, my analysis about the camera was confirmed as he was in the full frame even while standing. I snorted, eyes narrowing at the name he used. “We are here with your parents to discuss where you are.”

 

I cut him off. “First, don’t you dare call me that name. I hate it and quite frankly, it is not my real name. You are unworthy of my real name, so do shut your mouth and listen.”

 

I took a breath. “You have no power over me. You are beneath me, as your kind has always been. I have no doubt you plan to use these idiots as bait to get what you want. But let me stop you there. I stopped caring about them and a lot of others when it came to my knowledge that no matter what I said or did, they would never change their ways and do the right thing.

 

“I died the day I left, but unlike anyone else, I came back and left that world to come here. And even though it’s been a short time, and it was hard to get used to things and some of the citizens didn’t trust me, I’m now in a better position than I ever was with scum like all of you. You have no control of my decisions or my life, and because all the compassion I had for those two idiots and so many others died when they decided to trust someone else with my life since they didn’t want to take responsibility, I no longer care what you do to them.

 

“In time, I might return. And if I do, you better learn to respect people instead of treating them like the dirt you walk on. My policy is that you treat everyone else like you want to be treated. Failure to do that will result in a fierce and deserved kick to the balls. Frankly, I hope that I do get to do the honor of putting you in your place. Heaven knows I’ve wanted to do that to so many human scumbags for years.”

 

I felt incredibly smug. Well, that is until my video activated. They had hacked into my computer. Oh, fuck not using magic! They are **dead**!

 

**_Don’t do anything!_ **

 

_Fine, Soul, fine!_

 

**_Your telepathy can only be heard by Sans and me right now. So if have anything to say, it is a three way communication. Does that make sense, Rachel, Sans?_ **

 

_Yeah…_

 

_ sure. _

 

**_Now, Rachel, remain calm. Ask them ‘what do you want from me?’_ **

 

“So, you successfully hacked my computer. How rude! What exactly do you want from me?”

 

“Good question, Miss Rachel.” I twitched. His tone implied that the ‘good’ was for me being a ‘good girl’.

 

“We want to know where you are? You somehow broke into the facility your belongings were being held at and left no trace. We want to know how you got in and where you are.”

 

After receiving Soul’s advice, I replied, “Where do you think I am?”

 

“We don’t know. We have been looking for you everywhere. Someone cannot just steal belongings and run back into hiding just like that.”

 

“I didn’t steal since they are mine. What I want to know is what do you plan to do if I tell you?”

 

“ _When_ you tell us, we will come get you and everything you stole, and bring you back here. If you come quietly, we can talk about a lighter punishment. If you are good, the penalty might be as simple as community service. You took out someone’s eye after all.”

 

“I find it extremely disrespectful that you are talking to me like a child, or a _dog_ , whom you are trying to coax into doing your bidding. But I mean, anyone with a brain can see what you are doing. So, no, I won’t tell you where I am. And since you insist on being a self-righteous prick, I will remind you that those possessions are **mine** and so if I take them back from asshats like you, it is **not** **stealing**. It is **taking them away** from a bunch of unworthy, conceited piles of human shit.”

 

He sneered, “We have your parents. And the rest of your close family is elsewhere in this building, being watched. You are putting them in grave danger by not doing the right thing.”

 

“When you say _the right thing_ , do you mean by sadistic standards or dictatorial standards?”

 

He didn’t like that. “Do you know who I am?”

 

“Hmm, let me guess. Is your name Will U. Shutthefuckupnow?” I bounced my eyebrows as my lips turned to a coy smile.

 

“You think you’re being cute and funny?” He ground out.

 

“Dude, I know I’m probably more gorgeous and hilarious than _any_ girlfriend or ex-wife you have ever had! I have _no worries_ in that department.”

 

Sans turned away as he snorted. _i bet that guy needs some ice for that burn._

 

I couldn’t help it; I bellowed out laughter. “Good one!”

 

“I see. So, there **is** someone there with you.”

 

“Yeah, it’s your mom. She told me to tell you to get some ice for that burn. I’m pretty sure that won’t help **you** , though.”

 

He blushed profusely and I was overjoyed to see both of my parents barely holding in laughter. Since he was in front of them, he couldn’t see. Hopefully, anyone else who was nearby wouldn’t rat them out.

 

“Shut up and stop laughing, soldier.” Yep, they’d be fine. Clearly, whoever else was there also found my antics to be hilarious. I made sure to openly display patting myself on the back.

 

“Ahhh,” I sighed contentedly. “All in a day’s work.”

 

Sans snorted, unable to cover it up in time.

 

“Who is that?”

 

“I told you. It’s your mom. She’s baking cookies and you’re **not getting any**.”

 

Soul materialized a chocolate chip cookie and I took it, my smile stretched so far it hurt as I tried to hold back laughter.

 

“See?” I held it up and just about doubled over with the others as everyone on the other side laughed.

 

Sans stood up and walked away to the other side, leaning against the wall as he released little snickers.

 

With a loud smash, the video camera displaying the man, officially dubbed _Will_ , and my parents was knocked over, showing a sideways image of computer equipment and a soldier who was fidgeting as he stood to attention.

 

“You think this is **funny**?!” Will shouted. Sans zoomed back to his spot to listen. “You think this is a **game**?!”

_It kind of is. And not in the ‘I’m trying to see how pissed off I can make this douche-muffin!’, but ‘Undertale is an actual game’._

__

_ remind me to ask about that again after this is finished. _

_Uh, no! I have a crappy memory, so you will have to remind me yourself._

__

_ pff, okay. _

**_Pay attention!_ **

 

“I can make your lives hell with a simple piece of paper!”

 

“I bet you can’t make life hell with a single thought! That’s basically what I just did to you! And I’m totally **not sorry** about it, either!”

 

Oh god! The number of people I have broken today with my sass; that’s a new record, **for sure**! The entire room was in hysterics and Will could do nothing but shout in vain.

 

Fixing the camera, he jabbed his index finger at it.

 

“I will have you know that I oversee punishing undesirables in the United States government. My name is Eugene Williams.”

 

“More like a _failed_ Eugene Fitzherbert since you lack the sexiness of Tangled’s _dashing rogue_ and you have the personality of a uppity little bitch! Oh, my mistake, I meant wiener dog!” I flipped my hair and winked coyly. “But not to worry, I’m just gonna call you Will because Will U. Shutthefuckupnow suits you way more than Eugene, but it’s a bit too long. Lucky you for getting a new nickname…y’know, besides ‘douchemuffin’, ‘bitch-of-doom’, ‘prick-a-licious’, ‘sexy-wannabe’, ‘try-hard’, and ‘guy who lives in his parents’ basement’. Besides, you have the Will part in your last name, so it _totally_ works.”

 

“Do not make fun of me, **child**.” He whispered threateningly into the lens.

 

“Do not threaten me, _douchemuffin_.” I countered. “And get your ugly mug away from the camera. I’ve seen pubes lovelier than whatever the hell is wrong with…dat face. That is your face, right?” I gestured to his glitching face. My parents were bug-eyed. Sans was having a hard time being quiet. Soul looked like he had given up.

 

“Oh man, the internet is a beautiful thing, isn’t it?” I winked. “I’m guessing this is another moment of **TMI** that I just don’t give a fuck about keeping to myself. Hey, Will’s mama…what do you think?”

 

Sans had his head to the table and his hood up.

 

“Oh, that’s right. I’ve seen your mama’s cock, too!”

 

The best reaction came when Sans jolted upright, face as blue and terrified as I had ever seen it ever, and hands blocking his clothed crotch area.

 

“Pfffffffffhaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” I couldn’t stop the guffaws from leaving my mouth as I fell off my chair with hysterical laughter as the image of Sans’ with his blue skull holding his crotch was burned into my memory.

 

“That was pricele-heeheeheeeeeeee-sss! Holy shit!”

 

When I was fine again, I got back up and smiled into the camera. “The best part is that the people I’m currently with are amazing. You guys just **can’t** hold a candle to them. But hey, maybe if you stopped being selfish pricks all the time, the world you live in wouldn’t be doomed.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

I grinned devilishly. “You are setting yourself up for your own demise.”

 

“Explain now.”

 

“Shut the fuck up and learn some damn manners. The phrase is ‘would you mind explaining what you mean, please?’ Yeah, try that instead.”

 

“Answer me.”

 

I stuck my tongue out. “Nah, learn respect to someone who clearly knows better than you and then come back and ask.”

 

“You’re just lying.”

 

“No, though I will tell you this. I don’t need to tell you for you to figure it out. You and others like you are the reasons why everything is going to hell. It’s only a matter of time before you realize what you’re **doing** is **wrong**. But by then, it might just be too late. What I suggest is that you start by _figuring out_ what you’re doing wrong. After that, the solution should be clear. Think about what I said about respect and stuff. My basic morals are to treat everyone as they treat me because I believe heavily in equality.

 

“However, I also say that ‘as long as you are not hurting anyone or any _thing_ else who doesn’t deserve it, I have no issues with you’. That is what you should really be focusing on because in that is the solution to the problem.”

 

“You say we should treat everything like equals even though they have hurt countless others. We defend ourselves.”

 

“No, that is not **always** the truth. A lot of times, that is an excuse so that you can hurt those who have hurt you or disagree with you. People hurt others because they are different – that’s what happened to me. What you need to do is suck it up, stop acting like you’re better than everyone else, find a compromise, and resolve your differences so you can work on the next issue. You’re not just damaging the people around you. You are damaging the world as a whole. Fix it or suffer the consequences of the shit you have done. You won’t have to worry about me – you’ll have to worry about _Fate_.”

**_Rachel, don’t!_ **

 

“That is ludicrous. Fate isn’t something that actually exists. God chooses what happens and that’s all there is to it.”

 

“And there you go! You are not open to other possibilities, so you shoot down and hurt anyone who thinks different. God is not going to save you when everything falls apart. And if you’re a Christian or whatever, your _savior_ is not going to do anything because he is no longer around. Really, the Council of G.O.D does nothing more than observe. However, that’s why **I** am here.”

**_Rachel, I suggest you stop._ **

 

“I gave you a warning that if you don’t change your ways, everything **will** fall apart. You can believe in whatever you want, but there will come a time when the world you know will be hung in the balance and it will be my choice about what happens. If it can be saved because you have **tried** to clean up your act, so be it. If it is not because you believe you are entitled to act like a god over your peers, then there will be destruction that you and others like you can only blame yourself for.”

**_This could be bad._ **

 

“Are you saying you’re a god? Are you threatening to destroy our Earth if we don’t comply?”

 

“Nope. It has recently come to my attention that all the worlds are being held within a balance that is in my possession. If I cut ties with a world, the balance is destroyed and chaos ensues. So it’s really that I’m doing you a favor by staying connected.”

 

“Oh really? Prove it!”

 

“I did say that it’s recently come to my attention. I am currently in training–”

 

**“Rachel, stop!”**

 

“Who is that?”

 

Soul lifted himself into the frame. **“I am her protector. I have been a part of her since she first came into existence at the beginning of everything. She plays an extremely important role in all of this. Observe.”**

 

From my back sprouted chains of oddly colored stones, all of them with images of different scenarios going on. One of them looked like grayed amber that was starting to crack, and from what I could see, each scenario took place in a famous location on Earth. As Soul focused on the chain, the others disappeared, though they were still connected.

 

**“These have all been connected to her from the beginning, but are invisible unless she – or I – wish to access them for any number of reasons. I will demonstrate by letting you feel a fraction of what would happen if she were to disconnect from Earth. Rachel, take this hammer.”**

 

A glass-like hammer, around the size of a gavel, and filled with white, heavenly light appeared before me. I gripped it firmly and waited for more instructions.

 

**“I want to find the section of the chains that houses the White House and smash that hammer down once on the image of it. Only once and not too hard or it will do more damage than we want at this point in time.”**

 

I located it swiftly and eyed Soul, Sans, and the people on screen before returning my gaze to the grayed amber with the image of the White House deep within. I hefted the hammer and brought it down once.

With a jolt, the room on the other side of the call shook and several things went toppling and everyone shouted in fear.

 

“Stop! Stop!” Will shouted in distress.

 

It took five whole minutes of people calming down before the camera was fixed again. It took another minute or so for Will to find enough bravery to speak again.

 

“So, it appears we need to rethink some things. It was a pleasure talking with you and I will send your message along to the president and get back to you when we make a decision. We will also escort your family members back to their homes immediately, so please do not do anything else to that link. Uh, have a good day and more. Bye.”

 

The video call cut off abruptly. I eyed Sans who still eyeing the chain like he couldn’t believe it. Soul slumped to the ground, muttering incoherently.

 

“Well, that was fun.” I grinned triumphantly.

 

He blushed. “you’re gonna have to tell me what you meant when you said you’ve seen my…you know.”

 

I raised my eyebrows at him. “Do you really want to know?”

 

That seemed to frighten him. “from the way you’re acting, i’m not so sure anymore.”

 

“I’ll show you eventually, but for now…for your sake, you probably shouldn’t pry on that. I’m not the only one, so you really don’t want to see that right now. I’ll give you a hint; fan art.”

 

In moments, he resembled a frightened blueberry.

 

I grinned. “Trust me on this. But hey, grab the others! It’s time to show you guys what Undertale is!”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your favorite Sans or Undertale fan art?**


	14. IT’S MY STORY, SO I CAN BREAK THE FOURTH WALL IF I WANT TO!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel shows the monsters the first glimpse of Earth's internet, starting with Game Grumps. She also reveals more about AUs and whatnot, and worries a couple monsters with how much she knows...
> 
> Also, we find out about this AU's namesake! Why is this called CounterTale? :)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gotta get ahead with editing again! After this, Arc 1 is just two chapters away from completion!

“So this…is UTube!”

 

I splayed my hands, giving a jazz hands as the mysterious internet connection loaded the front page of said website, video sections of Recommended, Watch Later, and others showing up. I snorted when a video with a thumbnail of Sans showed up.

 

“hang on! that’s me!” He noticed immediately.

 

“Yup, people love doing voice dubs for comics of Undertale and related.”

 

“What the fuck is up with that?” Undyne bellowed behind me. I shushed her, pointing beside me as an indication of ‘go there so you don’t break my ears with your loud fucking voice, damn it’. She obeyed and asked much quieter, “Why the hell does the nerd look weird, red, and shark-faced in that one?”

 

“That is an AU, or alternate universe, called Underfell. Basically, in that one, all the monsters are mean, living up to the expectations of what humans classify monsters. It’s basically a world where everything is twisted with hatred and stuff.”

 

“Shit…”

 

“ditto,” Sans added gruffly.

 

“And then there’s Underswap where the characters of Undertale have swapped personalities. Like Sans has Pap’s personality and vice versa, Undyne and Alphys are swapped, Asgore and Toriel, Grillby and Muffet, and Frisk and Chara, I think. There are probably other swaps, but I can’t think of them.”

 

“WHAT ARE OTHER OF THESE AUS?” Pap asked. I turned to him, noticing he had some additions to his guard armor.

 

I chuckled, “Please lower your volume when you are behind me, Pap, Undyne, and anyone else prone to shouting or just being loud. I had sensitive hearing before I came to this world, which I still don’t know what you call it, FYI, so please hush up, especially when you’re behind me.”

 

“SORRY…” Better, but still loud-ish.

 

“Pap, move to my other side since you and Undyne will no doubt be loud. Everyone else, shout in my ear and I will ask you to leave. It literally hurts me when people are too loud. I am  **not**  joking.” My tone implied as much as there was a flurry of muttered understanding.

 

“Good, so AUs. I’ll list the ones I know of. Echotale, and another I can’t remember – both by the same person, is one where Sans and Gaster are actually merged into a character people usually just call G when writing fan fiction. Horrortale is an AU that takes place after the Neutral ending where Asgore dies, Undyne takes over and screws up, and monsters eat humans because starvation is a thing,” I glared at the fish warrior, daring her to interrupt. She didn’t. “and I’ll leave it at that. There is Swapfell, which is a mix of the first AUs I mentioned. Outtertale is monsters in space. Mobtale is like Undertale but from the part of history where mobs were all around places like New York and stuff – I’ll show you later. Reapertale, which is the main cast of monsters as gods instead. Altertale, Alterswap, and Alterfell, which is basically a far more simplified version of Underswap, with only the skelebros and the royals being swapped. And so on…

 

“A lot of AUs are based off of Underfell and Underswap. Flowerfell is one, which is basically an altered story from the Underfell AU, I think, and then Babyhell is an alternate ending to that. I like that one. There are a shit-ton of AUs. I even created a few, but they never really got  _off the ground_.” I looked away and mumbled too low for the others, “Except one…”

 

“you said that this world seemed like an au. please explain.”

 

“Right, it’s because Undertale is the main one, and based off of the history you told me, this world is definitely different. It’s like the complete opposite of what is expected. Hmm…I wonder.”

 

I pulled up another tab and typed in ‘thesaurus’. On my regularly used thesaurus reference site, I typed in ‘opposite’.

 

“This is what I use to find better words. I’m not always the smartest with vocabulary, so having a thesaurus is great. Let’s see.”

 

I scrolled through the words. “There’s ‘adverse’, ‘contrary’, ‘contradictory’…OH! Yes, CounterTale! Yes, that’s what this is.”

 

“what?” Ah, Sans, always so pushy.

 

I switched to the dictionary side and scrolled down until I found it. “See this? This is what ‘counter’ means. ‘Something that is opposite or contrary to something else.’ Or ‘opposite; opposed; contrary.’ This world is opposite to what is expected, so upon coming here, it  _countered_  my – and probably countless others’, should they find out about it – expectations. Not only did you guys  _win the war_ , but the laziest monster of all is now the most loaded with work. The term is ironic and hilariously accurate, is it not?”

 

“you sounded just like tori.” Sans whispered.

 

“You caught that, did you?” Nope, no tears! “Awesome! However, what I find interesting is that there is a main difference to this world that all, or most, of the other AU’s, and Undertale, include that this world doesn’t. In other worlds, Frisk or someone with the same job, is the ambassador for monsters and works to bring peace between the races. But it appears that Frisk freed the monsters and there is enormous animosity on both sides.”

 

“That’s because they tried to start a war with us again.” Undyne explained. “But we still beat them down. We would have destroyed them, but they captured the king and queen and left us in shambles. That was ten years ago and they have only tried to attack us one other time. But by then, Sans had to take over, and he was not as merciful as Asgore. In fact, he single-handedly annihilated two whole battalions with his special skull things…”

 

“Gaster Blasters?”

 

The shock was evident.

 

“how do you know so much?” Sans cried incredulously.

 

“Dude, I have been a part of this fandom since late 2015 when I first saw fan art of it. I can’t play the game worth a damn since it required reflexes that are just…not my specialty. But the fandom, or I guess you can say the community of fans, made it so much bigger. The game left so much to speculate, and so many AUs spawned from it. Fan fiction took up a lot of my time, and I’ve read comics, and become friends with people who loved the fandom.

 

“The most popular characters were the Skelebros, as Sans and Pap have been dubbed. Sans probably has the most fan art of any character in the fandom, and seeing what the fandom has become and where it started, it is very clear why. But I will warn you of one thing; if you look too deep, you will find stuff about yourself that you will wish you could un-see.”

 

“is that what you meant during that skype call?” The skeleton mumbled.

 

I blushed. “Yup!” Only after the Skype call ended did I begin to regret saying what I did. The sass gave me a confidence boost. Without that, I was nothing more than a blushing fool.

 

He blushed, too. “show us the main game. i want to see what this is.”

 

“Okay, but just so you know, the graphics are pretty awful. And there are other things that will probably make you cringe. Just a heads up.”

 

A collection of fearful gulps came from the people around me, and I couldn’t help but laugh softly as I looked up Game Grumps and started the first video in their Undertale playthrough.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What are your 3 favorite AUs, if any?**


	15. SO I HEARD YOU WANT TO PLAY UNDERTALE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After watching the Undertale playthrough by [Game Grumps](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjUPWvcv7xs&list=PLRQGRBgN_EnrULQN6IIjaMrKUUpyV08vK), Sans wants to take a stab at it. And Undyne and Alphys are slowly putting the pieces together of why Sans is worried about how much people from Earth know about him...
> 
> *Fangirling Intensified*

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter for Arc 1!

I laughed softly when the expressions of everyone in the room fell. To say they were underwhelmed was an understatement. Since my computer screen was not large enough for so many people, Alphys managed to plug it into a device to display it on the wall above the computer.

 

The group watched the playthrough with curious eyes…at first. Soon enough, the group slowly became confused, and then, for some, irritated. I was content to lean back and watch their expressions quietly. I had seen Undertale enough to not care about watching gameplay. Besides, the expressions on some of the monsters’ faces were  **fantastic**.

 

It quickly became hard to keep my composure, especially when the CounterTale, or CT, Skelebros saw their pixelated two-dimensional selves. Papyrus’ skull had contorted in a way that his teeth were slanted irregularly and his eye sockets narrowed, all in all, giving off the impression of ‘what the fuck’, or the Papyrus equivalent.

 

Sans’ expression kept shifting between ‘i’m done’ and ‘okay, that’s actually really funny’ whenever his virtual persona made a pun, joke, or pulled a prank. He even snorted when the trombone came into play during the date between Papyrus and Frisk.

 

 

 

As the end neared, I noticed a lot of people were no longer paying attention, their eyes glossed over. Sans had fallen asleep, only awakening when the credits rolled by. It seemed unnatural, but I shrugged it off.  _Their loss, I guess!_

 

In the end, the entire playthrough took hours, and when it was all said and done, everyone had questions. I answered as many as I could until Grillby finally realized he needed to start the already late dinner, lunch forgotten.

 

Most of the monsters went off to do their own thing before dinner was ready. The only people remaining were Sans, Undyne, Alphys, and Papyrus.

 

“Can I help you?” I asked, brow raised.

 

“I WANTED TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE AUS AND ANYTHING ELSE THAT HAS TO DO WITH THIS UNDERTALE.”

 

“Well, I’m gonna refrain from showing you some AUs since the ones I’m thinking of are dark and disturbing. I personally think that  _I_  will get a kick out of what you guys think of Underswap.” I snorted. “Man, oh man, you guys will probably flip out.” I giggled maniacally.

 

“Stop being creepy, punk!” Undyne grimaced. “What I want to know is what happens after? Is everyone happy?”

 

“Oh, Undyne!” I sighed. “That really depends on the fans and what they add to the fandom. The game ends with whatever route the player takes. The fandom is where you go to find potential after stories. But I’ll be honest; a lot of them are depressing. This playthrough was the pacifist route. As you can see from UTube’s ‘Up next’ feature, there is a genocide route. It’s the same game, but it’s if the player, as Frisk, chooses to kill the monsters instead of sparing and befriending them.

 

“As I already explained, this game has multiple routes. Each choice the player makes impacts the game’s ultimate outcome. I could never do genocide because I am too attached to the characters and would rather kill humans since they deserve it way more. But other people will do it for the sake of it, for the challenge, or for reasons that might be more sadistic. But it’s a choice! It’s always a choice. And that’s what the creator, Toby Fox was aiming for.”

 

 

 

Whether it was my tone or my words, all four of the monsters looked terrified. Well, all except Sans, who looked murderous.

 

“do you have this game available?”

 

“I have it, yes. But why?”

 

“i wanna try playing it.”

 

“Oh, lovely!” I remarked sarcastically. “Are you good at using the keyboard arrows?”

 

“i don’t know.”  _Pfffft, poor baby is gonna get rekt._

 

“shut. up.” He growled.

 

I hummed, turning to the computer and bringing up Undertale.

 

“Hey, punk, who is the toughest monster to beat in the genocide version?” The intimidating fish questioned, flexing.

 

I snorted. “Are you expecting me to say you?”

 

Her proud smile dropped as she slumped. “Are you saying I’m not?”

 

“You’d be surprised. Even though he only has 1HP in-game, Sans is by far the most difficult to beat. He is the final boss because, if you beat him and get to the king, Asgore will have no fight left in him. At least that’s what I’ve read. I have never seen a playthrough of Undertale from the genocidal perspective because  **I hate it**.”

 

“How is he hard to beat with only 1HP?” Undyne glowered at the purple-clad skeleton. For his part, Sans was leaning back and observing as I loaded the game.

 

“Because he dodges every attack for over twenty rounds and with Karmic Retribution, Gaster Blasters, and hard to dodge bone attacks, and well-placed gravitational blue magic, you need to be careful. I am pretty sure that if  **Saves**  didn’t exist, the player would die before getting to Asgore. It’s just that tough.”

 

“then i guess it’s good i don’t have just 1hp in this world.”

 

“Yeah, I agree. I guess without Resets and the worry of everything being erased, you haven’t lost HoPe, like in Undertale.”

 

He glanced at me before turning back to read the beginning. When it was time to pick his name, he got frustrated.

 

“what?” He glowered at his own font denying him. “c’mon, it’s me, though!”

 

“Let me!” I took control and named the character ‘snas’. The intro began as soon as I hit enter.

 

“that’s not funny.” He grumbled.

 

“I needed to make it work, so hush.”

 

The playthrough began and Flowey popped up. When Toriel appeared…everything was quiet, and we watched Sans’ attempt at Undertale.

 

“ugh, this is so awkward.” He grumbled as he watched Frisk meet him in-game, and his dialogue came on screen next to his face. “is it just me or does this…version of me always smile?”

 

“That’s a headcanon that’s up for debate.” I replied, followed by a short giggle. “Some people depict you as always smiling and not changing expressions past what was in the game. Others will go with additional expressions like frowning, and mouth movement over your teeth but still not opening your mouth. And then there’s people like me who prefer it like it is in this world; fully functional facial movements and expressions, in addition to the ability of open and close your mouth. I also noticed you have a tongue. Glad I was right about that.”

 

All eyes were on me again. I couldn’t hold my laughter for long and I fell on my side as my entire body shook.

 

“Your expressions were perfect! Thank you so much!”

 

“you have very little shame, don’t you?”

 

I sat up and grinned. “A lot of the times, yes! I have a feeling it’s part of my bipolar and natural sass. I say bipolar because, while I might have little to no shame at some points, there are other times when that is the complete opposite. But hell if I know. I’m just speculating.”

 

“welp, i’m done with this. it’s interesting. i’m more concerned with  _aus_  and whatnot. oh, and because you mentioned knowing something about me that is extremely alarming.”

 

I looked up at him as he stood and noticed the displeased expression. I couldn’t help but give him an ashamed smile. That, however, seemed to make him blush, which put the ladies into a weird mood as they gave each other the ‘knowing smile’.

 

“Wh-what was so a-alarming?”

 

“nothing.” He enunciated slowly as he glared at her before quickly exiting the room.

 

“Oooooooooh! I have a feeling about this!” Oh geez, Undyne! No!

 

They gave me a shared look that could only be on the face of knowing fangirls.

 

Then together, they muttered one word. “Score.”

 

I guess learning about AUs are going to have to wait…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter before our mini-hiatus, so please answer this question...  
>  **QOTD: What do you want to see happen in CounterTale?**


	16. I DON’T CARE, I SHIP IT!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The DinoFish Duo are up to no good. And while Rachel could easily stop them, there are implications that she isn't allowed to stop the fangirls. However, Sans is more than willing to join forces with Rachel, which could be good or bad, given the circumstances...
> 
> This is the end of Arc 1!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, with this chapter, Arc 1 is complete and Arc 2 will be coming shortly. I need to do a final go-through, editing ahead of schedule, and then posting will begin. Hopefully, it won't take too long.

It was a few days later that my suspicions of Alphys and Undyne’s intentions were confirmed. But like always, I was too naïve to see it until it was too late. To say that the Icona Pop parody created by notliterally and called “[I Ship It](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCDgJiPBxfI)” was the DinoFish Duo’s theme song was almost too accurate.

 

When the knock came at my door, I wasn’t worried since I got constant knocks from different people with messages that were similar or specifically “it’s time to train”, “food is ready”, or “I was asked to get more opinions on this, so what do you think about this?”

 

The last one was reoccurring often, beginning shortly after Sans got an assistant, an intern of sorts studying in politics. She was a spunky blue and yellow fire elemental named Staticka, or just Static, and part of her tasks were to ask for additional opinions from the people living in the castle, so she came to me and others for responses.

 

I soon became the go-to person for good advice. My perspective was so in-line with the monsters, and my logical mind helped me see things in the world as they are rather than blowing it out of proportion. Ironically, the only thing that ever was out of control and illogical were my emotions when they escalated. But with a level head, I was more perceptive to the world around me and so I often would cater to Static, discussing why one rules was redundant and another with this tweak could replace it.

 

So, when a knock came to my door, I wasn’t expecting anyone unusual. Thinking back on it, I probably should have locked my computer beforehand. Or watched the whole process.

 

“Come in,” I called behind me as I refused to remove my eyes from the computer screen.

 

When the door opened, and my ears were greeted with nervous shuffling instead of words, I turned and found Alphys at the door, fidgeting with a box in her hand.

 

“I-I-I wanted to ask if you would be okay with me c-c-copy the Undertale game to analyze it s-some more. P-please?” I observed the box; it looked like the same one Sans had had when he tried to get into my computer.

 

I would be on guard. “Oh! Uh, sure. Let me bring it up a sec!”

 

As she came up behind me, I brought up the game.

 

“I-I need the file f-folder.”

 

“Oh, right. My bad! Hang on!” I chuckled embarrassedly. “It might be buried. I might use the computer a lot, but I’m not as tech savvy as I’d like to be.”

 

Closing the game, I tracked down the folder – with Soul’s telepathic help – and gestured towards the box. She wasn’t touching my stuff.

 

“Th-thank you.” She handed me the plug and I inserted it as she got to work.

 

“Hey, punk! Did Alphys ask for the–oh, awesome!” The warrior glanced briefly at her lover before turning back to me “Hey, can I talk to ya for a sec?”

 

“Sure, come in.” I gestured her forward.

 

She shook her head. “No, punk! I need an  _opinion_  on something.”

 

I glanced briefly at Alphys was seemed to busy working on copying the data properly to notice anything else. Standing up, I walked the short distance to Undyne.

 

“What is it?”

 

She motioned for me to follow.

 

I shook my head defiantly. “I’m not leaving someone in my room alone, with  **my**  stuff, Undyne.”

 

She sighed in aggravation and pulled me out of earshot of Alphys. I tried to fight, but without enough training, she was stronger. I sighed in defeat. This was planned.

 

“So, Alph and my anniversary is coming up, so I wanted your opinion on what I should get or do for the occasion.”

 

“When you say anniversary, you mean…”

 

“We were officially married three years ago at the end of this month.”

 

“Dang, already hitched. Noice!”

 

“Yeah…” She wasn’t saying something.

 

“What have you done in the past?” I pressed on, despite my curiosity. I needed to make sure Alphys didn’t do anything ‘illegal’ by my standards.

 

“I’ve taken her across Natura for the first year and presented her with an enormous collection of manga and anime for Mew Mew Kissy Cutie for the second.”

 

“What’s Natura?”

 

“That’s the name of this world.”

 

“Ohhhhh…what about the other planets?”

 

“They are named based off the order they are from the sun, with this planet being the exception. Right now, there are nine planets.”

 

“Are any of them dwarf planets?”

 

“You mean the tiny ones. Why the hell would we count the puny ones?”

 

“Hmm, I wonder.”

 

“So, what should I do this year? I can’t think of anything that could top what I’ve already done.”

 

“Hmm, is money an issue?” Since Alph loved science.

 

“Not really. Well, if it’s something extremely expensive, maybe. But whatever you’re thinking I can probably afford.”

 

“I’m just thinking that having a special kind of lab related thing would be nice. Something she’s really wanted that is expensive and would help with both personal and work-related projects. Have an anime marathon and present it to her and you’re good to go.”

 

“Huh, okay. I’ll look into that. Thanks, punk!”

 

“Cool, can I go now?”

 

“U-Undyne?”

 

“Hey Al, walk with me. I wanna ask ya some stuff.”

 

I rolled my eyes and returned to the confines of my room as the two walked away. I returned to my computer and inspected it carefully.

 

**“Relax and don’t worry about it.”**

 

I hummed in content, taking that as a ‘whatever Alphys did, Mother expected it’. Regardless, I shouldn’t have assumed those two were truthful.

 

The next night, during dinner, both Alphys and Undyne looked like they had seen a ghost, and not the kind they were used to. It was like they had seen things that could not be unseen and they regretted it.

When I entered the room, both blushed violently.

 

“Okay, **what**  did you do, and how am I involved?” I demanded with a glower.

 

“What are you talking about, punk?!” The fish warrior’s voice cracked, and she knew it as she coughed to clear her throat.

 

“Do you plan to come clean and explain, or do I have to pry it out of you?”

 

“I-i-i-i-i-it’s nothing!” Alphys practically shrieked.

 

“what the heck is up with you, alph?” Sans had entered the room, looking only mildly curious. But my curiosity only intensified when the two shifted their gaze between San and me.

 

“What did you do?” I demanded. “And how is Sans involved?”

 

“wha?” Add another terrified monster to the mix.

 

“They are acting really  _fishy_.”

 

I could feel the rumbling groan of the group, not including Sans and I. Much to my delight, the purple-clad skeleton fell backwards laughing.

 

“okay, that was pretty good.” He said a minute or so later, after had finished laughing. “i’m curious. why do you think something’s up?”

 

“How about you observe them and tell me if you still think I’m wrong.” Yeah, Sans! Use all the senses – by which I mean mental and **psychological**  – to figure it out.

 

He turned his gaze to the two and seemed to understand as his expression shifted. Truth be told, the girls were becoming tenser by the minute.

 

“I have some files I need to look over.” The fish woman declared. “Permission to eat in my office.”

 

“denied.” Sans replied flatly.

 

“Hell no.” I added. All eyes focused on me. “Hey, she did it to me. That’s payback.”

 

There was a collection of chuckles, so I assumed it was okay  **this**  time.

 

“but yeah, rachel’s right. you both need to stay for dinner.”

 

A strange whine erupted and what was startling was we eventually realized it was coming from Alphys.

 

“whoa, what the hell is going on?” Sans demanded worriedly.

 

“It’s nothing!” The warrior practically shrieked before coughing and repeating slower, “It is nothing!”

 

“You two have been up to something for a while.” I accused. “Don’t think I can’t tell that you are up to no-good. Just from observing you the last couple minutes, I can tell you are planning something between Sans and me. Considering what happened the other day after I showed you Undertale, and all the evidence leading to now...well, you’re not very good at hiding that you’ve done something wrong.”

 

I paused, a malicious grin encompassing my face. “And I have a feeling, based off how ‘scarred’ you look, that I know exactly what you have done. I know someone won’t like this. Trouble be brewin’, that’s for sure.”

 

The fear on their faces intensified, encouraging my satisfied chuckle.

 

“And what’s more is that I know the expression of ‘plotting fangirls’, so don’t even try to deny it. I’m more than familiar with your tendencies of ship people. That’s a classic anime scenario. And I’ve read enough fan fiction about you two to know the signs. Y'know, like stealing data off my computer while under the pretense of copying Undertale. You will stoop to whatever means to ensure your OTP becomes canon.”

 

“If it’s f-f-fan fiction, th-then it’s not canon.” Alphys tried to defend.

 

I smirked. “Oh believe me, from what I’ve seen thus far…the majority of stuff here is headcanon-based. The community has more power in the Undertale fandom than most other fanbases I’ve seen.”

 

They remained quiet and wouldn’t meet anyone’s eye.

 

“So, why don’t you share with everyone what you two have been up to?” I tapped my fingers against the table, villain style. “I’m sure your explaining for why you appear to have seen something you wish you hadn’t will interest one individual in this room.” I let my eyes flit over to Sans, who was shaking his head slowly, a look of horror on his face.

 

Neither of them caved, and when dinner came, they avoided all talk. I gave Sans a look and he nodded wordlessly to confirm he would talk to them about it later. When the two were finished dinner, they quickly hightailed it out of the dining hall.

 

I was finished soon after and as I passed Sans on my way out of the room, I whispered, “If you need my help getting them to talk or finding the answer, let me know. I can think of stuff to make them cave.”

 

“i will if i can’t get an answer.” He assured. “whatever they did, they will regret it.”

 

 

 

A day later, Sans gave me orders to use any means necessary to find out what the fangirls were planning. Apparently, a new stack of paperwork was added and he couldn’t take care of the plotting fangirls personally.

 

So, it was after lunch that I put my plan into action, going to their shared bedroom and listening carefully. Using my heightened hearing, I easily heard what they were discussing.

 

“N-no, she’s not the type to fawn over h-him.”

 

“Well we gotta find some way to show  _interest_. I get that she’s got a lot of sass and is kinda loud and stuff, but we gotta make it work.”

 

Oh my god, no! Are they really making a fan fiction, or a manga, about Sans and me? C’mon, why do you have to do this? He might end up hating me when it’s over.

 

“W-we need better references. We can’t continue without getting a better understanding of how some of this works.”

 

What the fuck are they talking about? Were they using the game to get ideas?

 

“We need to be careful, Alph. She’s onto us and if she finds out what we did, with powers like her…she might rip us apart when she is trained more.”

 

“O-or she could mess with our minds.”

 

“OR TORTURE US!”

 

“Shhh! Someone will hear us.”

 

I had heard enough. I returned to the throne room and explained what I heard.

 

“are you serious? wow, those two never quit. okay, i’ll take it from here. thanks for doing this.”

 

“Oh believe me, it was my pleasure. I won’t be setup, or used, and if they think they are in charge, they have another thing coming. One thing’s for sure; I will get revenge. And with my knowledge, I have a lot of ways I can break them without truly hurting them. I’ll focus on Undyne’s pride and Alphys’ capabilities and talents used for my purposes.”

 

He snorted. “so you would use them like they are using you. i can respect that, provided it’s legal and they’re still functioning by the end.”

 

I chuckled. “They’ll be functioning, and have a healthy respect for personal boundaries.”

 

He smirked. “well played.”

 

I bowed. “Why thank you,  _your highness_.” He rolled his eye-lights.

 

Walking back to my room, it occurred to me that this was a little like a rivalry. Sans and me against Alphys and Undyne, Justice and Integrity against Determination and Bravery, in a battle of wills.

 

I snorted, my shoulders shaking with mirth. “Why does that scenario sound so stupid and so amazing at the same time?”

 

**“Think of it this way; ‘they don’t care’ that you don’t agree, and will continue to ‘ship it’!”**

 

“Hey, don’t use my playlist! Make your own!”

 

He chuckled at my annoyance. I shook my head, closing my bedroom door behind me.

 

“They didn’t take the game file. Or at least, they took more than that. They took everything, didn’t they?”

 

When I received no response besides the tail lowering to the ground in a defeated way, I sighed. “I thought so. We’ll see how this plays out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Finally: With that done, who is ready for Arc 2? It'll be here as soon as I make sure the main edits are complete. And since I completed editing for this chapter (and Arc 1) on July 23rd, that should be sooner rather than later. I encourage speculation on what is to come and want to know what you think will happen? So, any thoughts, guess, etc?**
> 
>  
> 
> ALSO: For artists, I will be doing a contest on my DeviantArt account (RTNightmare) soon so look out for that. 
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD: What is your main Soul Trait?**


	17. IT’S ABOUT TIME FOR A CHANGE OF PERSPECTIVE.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> **ARC TWO BEGINS!**
> 
> In this arc, we are introduced to a whole bunch of new characters, two of which are part of the main Undertale cast. What will happen when a flower tells us about the past as well as some information about the former monarchy?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I AM SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SORRY FOR THE LONG WAIT!
> 
> Please, let me give a shout out to [Paty17kat](https://paty17kat.deviantart.com/) who motivated me to finish these damn edits in under 48 hours. Goes to show you I was in a slump.
> 
> Also, a shout out to my former beta, [AuroraFireClaw](https://aurorafireclaw.deviantart.com/), whose OC, Aideen received a cameo. 
> 
> This story will be updating every Wednesday so that I can avoid another long freaking hiatus while I finish initial writing for Arc 3, and then edits. But with every chapter of Arc 2 basically finished, I hope you enjoy.

With my training in fire manipulation from Grillby – including the occasional help of his assistant, Aideen or his daughter, Fuku – Natura History from Dogaressa, and magic/spell casting lessons and another monster called Madjick, I had a full schedule. In addition, during part of my time alone, Soul would teach me to control my personal, unique brand of  _skills_  that the monsters didn’t have and therefore, couldn’t teach.

 

My training with Grillby consisted of learning techniques with the help of instrumental music for better concentration and trying to adapt to being able to do the same thing with the same amount of skill, but music-less. It was hard and it took as long as anyone who knew me would expect, so after over a month of futile efforts to transition, I was finally starting to get the hang of it.

 

“I warned them it would take forever for me to improve,” I grumbled to Ressa as we walked to the room where our history lessons took place. “But  _noooooo_ , they think it’s so easy. I have a hard time with change. I am pretty sure my first week here is proof of that.”

 

“Oh dear,” the canine monster gasped amusedly. “Trust me, even if it will take a while, monsters have far more patience than you think. We generally have a longer lifespan than humans, and with our Souls being made of love, mercy, and compassion, patience is often a natural part of us. Yes, the relationship between most monsters and you started off rocky, but everyone has really warmed up to you, or have started to.”

 

It was true, and that’s why I smiled. “Dog-mama, you are a blessing. I swear you know how to brighten things up considerably!”

 

She blushed, opening the _classroom_ door and motioning me first.

 

“You kinda remind me of how I expected Toriel to be.”

 

The smile fell from her snout as she looked at her feet. “I will not pretend that I have not been influenced by the late queen. She was a wonderful monster with such an enormous love for everyone. And it is because she was against Asgore’s plan to rid the world of humans entirely that she and the late king were taken from us. I miss her so much.”

 

I mentally kicked myself for bringing it up. But after careful consideration, I ask, “Have you considered that she might be alive?”

 

“It is good to hope that they both are, as well as the monsters who were captured in the pursuit to free them, but my doubts are far greater at this point. I don’t think I will ever see the Dreemurrs again.”

 

“What about Asriel? Does he exist in this world?”

 

“He did. But we learned that he had conspired to free the humans. When the human child, Chara, failed to steal the spell to sealed the humans, he personally took the spell to undo the barrier, and sacrificed himself. In your Undertale game, it took seven mages and seven Souls to create and destroy the barrier. Monster magic is different; we required a spell cast by several monsters, and a boss monster to solidify it.

 

“The combination of that special spell and a Soul is all it takes to destroy the barrier, but it was heavily guarded and we assumed no monster would betray us. Asriel was a child, though, and since Chara had evaded detection, as a monster, Asriel had a greater advantage than a human. Why he did it, no one knows?”

 

“Do you remember the end of Undertale, how the barrier was destroyed?”

 

“No, I’m not sure why, but I fell asleep during that part. Why do you ask?”

 

Interesting. “No reason. Just wondering.”

 

She studied my expression briefly, but ultimately gave up. “Now, for today’s lesson we will talk about the differences between two specific classifications of monsters…”

 

 

 

“Soul, I want to go for a walk outside.”

 

**“Okay, just make sure you get permission.”**

 

“Well, duh!”

 

Walking through the castle, I looked for anyone who was high enough on the ‘totem pole’ to get permission to walk outside. After a while, I found Undyne.

 

“Hey Captain, would you mind if I went on a walk outside? I haven’t been any further than the entrance and being a  _nature girl_ , I’m missing the sight of trees and stuff.”

 

“Fuhuhu! Sure, I’ll let Sans know. Just stay within the castle perimeters. If you go past the garden, you’ve gone too far.”

 

“Cool beans! Thanks so much!”

 

“Cool beans?”

 

I smacked my face. “Don’t worry about it.”

 

 

Two minutes later and I was outside, breathing in the clean air. Ever since coming here, I had noticed subtle similarities to the world I grew up in. With the history lessons, I concluded that I was in an alternate reality to the one I was born in. This planet was another Earth, but the difference in history had ultimately changed what the planet was like today.

 

While the transition from the names I knew on Earth confused me, especially since my knowledge of geography was already limited at best, I still concluded that there were enormous similarities and differences.

 

It was safe to say that monsters were nowhere near as cruel and destructive as humans. The air was clean, the natural environment around was thriving, the sky was clear, and surprisingly, all monster-made structures were environment-friendly – if Soul’s information was to be trusted. It made sense, though, since the monsters had far better instincts than humans. They found a way to peacefully coexist with the natural world around them.

 

Even with my heightened instincts alone, I could recognize their handiwork for what it was. It was a situation where there were no words available to explain it – the only way to understand was to feel it within one’s self. Since my perception was now like the monsters – relying on animalistic instincts rather than experimentation, desire, and other  _thought processes_  that only made me angrier at humanity – I understood their ways more, and I could admire their handiwork easily.

 

I walked through the beautiful garden that was tended to by a plant-like elemental. I waved and they waved back after catching sight of me.

 

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” They called.

 

“Yeah, it is!” I replied. “Hope you’re having a good day with all this beautiful weather!”

 

“Indeed! Thank you! And you?”

 

“Absolutely! I’m going to keep going! See you later!”

 

“You too! Thank you again!” Such a warm smile.

 

I grinned and continued for another half mile, not seeing the splendor around me anymore as my thoughts took over.

_Why can’t humans be as nice as monsters?_

 

“Possibly because they don’t understand the world and each other to such a degree as monsters do?”

 

I looked towards the source and found a red rose, or at least a flower that resembled one. But unlike a traditional rose, this flower had a face.

 

I hummed thoughtfully. “Would you happen to be Asriel?”

 

The flower looked mildly stunned, but quickly composed itself to reply. “So you do know me.”

 

“Yes, I do. It would seem the others don’t. But I showed them the playthrough and according to Ressa, she cannot remember. I noticed that Sans was asleep for that part, too. But what I find interesting is that it was during a part where the most action was. Would you happen to know why the monsters would fall asleep during such an intense moment?” I raised an eyebrow.

 

The former prince bowed his head. “That s my doing. I cannot have them know who I am, Rachel. Not yet, anyway.”

 

I took a seat on a bench nearby. “Tell me what you are planning please. Why did you free the humans? How did you survive? Actually, let me guess. You’re alive because of Frisk. They saved you somehow and because they were there, they were proclaimed as the hero.”

 

“Yes and no. I broke the barrier and they were ‘proclaimed the hero’ when they were found by the broken barrier, but there’s more to all of it than that.” He sighed. “Let me tell you a story…”

 

* * *

 

_Asriel was an eight-year-old child when he first saw the barrier. Every year the royals would return to check the barrier to make sure it was still there and keeping the humans in. At one point, the young prince broke away from his parents and went to the barrier._

_He was told not to touch the magic that kept it running, but being a child, his curiosity had no limits. Upon pressing his bare paw to the glass-like surface, he heard the soft breathing of another person._

_“Hello?” He called._

 

“Hello?” _Came the reply of another child. The voice seemed to echo within his mind._

_“Who are you?”_

 

“I’m Frisk. Who are you?”

_“I’m Asriel. Where are you?”_

 

“Within the barrier. Where are you?”

_“I’m on the outside.”_

 

“Oh, well, can you find a way to let me out? I don’t like it here.”

_“I don’t know. Why don’t you like it there?”_

 

“These people are mean to me.”

_“What do you mean?”_

 

“They beat me and tell me I’m worthless.”

_“I’m so sorry.”_

 

“Why are you sorry? You didn’t do anything.”

_“I guess not, but I’m still sad and sorry to hear they hurt you. I will try to get you out.”_

 

“Thank you.”

_When Asriel returned with his family and the others who accompanied them, he immediately went to work to find out how to break his new friend out. The barrier had created a link between them, so Frisk’s voice continued to echo in his mind._

_“I can’t find answers in the library. What should I do?”_

 

“Why not ask someone?”

_“No, they’ll think I’m a traitor.”_

 

“Not if you say you want to understand for the future or something. Make up a story.”

_“Okay, I’ll try.”_

_Asriel and Frisk spent over a year and a half bonding and coming up with a plan and a good enough story for why he wanted to know about the barrier. In the end, he decided that asking his father instead of a guard would be best. He had visited the barrier five times since then and had just had his tenth birthday._

_“Dad, will you tell me more about the barrier sealing the humans underground?”_

_“Oh, why do you want to know, Asriel?”_

_“When we were there, I was confused about it. As far away as I stood from it, it still felt strange. I wanted to understand it so that I know what to do in the future. To prepare myself.”_

_The king laughed soothingly. “I see. Alright then. Listen carefully.”_

_The king explained how the barrier was formed with five Madjicks, one of each kind of elemental, and the king’s magic combined. It was the Madjicks who created the spell that could ultimately unleash the humans. The barrier was indestructible unless someone used the spell and the life of a monster to break it. Therefore, it was kept sealed within a special area in the castle that was always guarded._

_Using the classic ‘strange sound’ trick, Asriel fooled the guards into leaving their post to find whatever had created the strange noise. Using his regal Soul’s power, he opened the door, stole the spell, and fled into the night._

_It took several hours to get to the barrier, and by the time he arrived, guards were stationed everywhere. He managed to slip by them undetected, but was caught as he used his Soul and the spell to break it._

_The commotion drew both monsters and humans’ attention, so no one noticed Frisk take the now normal monster Soul and put it into the closest object to them, a pot with peeking flower bud. The pot had housed many failed attempts at horticulture, but with Asriel’s Soul, a flower began to bloom. The new Asriel would also be able to change which kind of flower he was and would keep his connection with Frisk no matter where they were._

_With the barrier gone, many small battles erupted between humans and monsters. Each one of them resulted in the humans’ defeat. After the first battle, the humans questioned how the barrier broke. Frisk explained they had broken the barrier. They had been found near the barrier countless times, so it was easy to believe._

_The humans were quick to change the way they treated Frisk, from beating them and treating them like a worthless dog to doing anything they wished as though they were a deity capable of destroying anyone who opposed them._

 

_Seeing the other humans under their command, Frisk had tried to tell them that fighting the monsters was useless. It was the only command they ignored. But after each defeat, they grew more trustful of their new ruler’s judgement. However, during their second to last attempt, they kidnapped the remaining royals. When they came back for the final battle, hopeful that removing the monster monarchy would guarantee them a victory, they realized their mistake. The new king showed them no mercy, taking out more than half their troops single-handedly._

_That final fight ended every attempt to take the surface back. With the number of humans dwindled to mere hundreds, the humans retreated to the underground and the areas above-ground nearby where the barrier had been stationed._

_Under Sans’ rule, the monsters were ordered to destroy the remaining humans. But when attacked, the humans fled underground, where the knowledge of their turf yielded far more success in capturing and potentially killing the monsters who invaded. Both sides quickly found that every time monsters attacked, the humans retreated below, and the monsters that followed never returned. When all tactics to draw the humans above failed, the fighting ceased. That was about ten years before I arrived._

_Frisk was now the full-fledged leader, a twenty-one-year-old agender individual – though little respected that and referred to them with the incorrect pronoun – who somehow kept the other humans alive. It was their idea to flee to the underground when the monsters tried to attack. But while the monsters saw Frisk as a leader biding their time to attack, Asriel explained that they were trying to find a peaceful solution by sending him to the monsters as a mediator and messenger._

_However, Asriel was always met with resistance. After the first time, he was labeled a traitor to other monsters and if he was ever seen, he should be killed on sight._

_However, Asriel had hope. Why? Because everything began to change when I arrived…_

 

* * *

 

 

“I was confused when a bolt of lightning stretched across the sky and landed in the gravel in front of the castle’s gated doors. Since you arrived, I have been cautiously keeping tabs on you. I’ve been hiding in various places, watching you intently. I was there when you showed everyone that ‘Undertale’ thing, and it was because of my pollen that they didn’t see the ending.”

 

I thought as much, but, “Why did you do that?”

 

“They aren’t  **ready**  for that, Rachel. We need to find a peaceful solution before I reveal myself. We need to work together. Frisk is a pacifist, but unfortunately, they are fighting forces that have been against them since before they were born. These forces are human – the very worst kind.

 

“Furthermore, if they know about me, their hope will die further. They think I was coerced into helping Frisk, but I did it on my own. Frisk is one of the few ‘good guys’, and with my help, they has been trying to find a solution to bring humans and monsters to a peaceful solution.”

 

“Asriel...”

 

“Call me Petals for now.”

 

“Seriously?”

 

“Hey! At least it’s better than Flowey!”

 

I snorted. “True. Okay,  _Petals_! The thing is that Sans is already pretty pissed off because he was forced to be king when he didn’t want to.” I hesitated, trying to think of a way to explain my thoughts. “If I can convince him to…I don’t know, see reason, maybe I can convince him to see that there is a peaceful solution.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“I don’t know.” I groaned. “Like…some silver lining. Like…is there a way to get Asgore and Toriel back? Are they even alive still? Where are they or, if they are…gone, what happened to them? Something that could provide a reason for Sans to want to do something.”

 

“Well, good news. They are alive, and I know exactly where they are!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Who is your favorite CounterTale monster thus far?**


	18. YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO SEE ANYTHING IF YOUR VISION IS SO CLOUDED…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel informs the monsters that Toriel and Asgore are alive. But what will happen when a new power is activated within Rachel? Especially if this is a power that proves an alliance between monsters and humans is more likely to happen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Stupid Ao3 erased this chapter when I tried to post it for pending until Wednesday. C'mon you stupid internet!

To say I rocketed back to the castle to tell the others the news was not that much of an overstatement. As soon as Petals finished telling me the good news and explained that he would stick around and return after I told the current king about what I had learned – minus his real identity, I practically zoomed across the ground, determined to get back as fast as possible.

 

I was back in less than a minute, which basically meant that I had used a new power to move faster. Nice!

 

“what the fuck!” The skeleton yelped as he became rigid in his chair, pen still gripped in his left hand. I had practically smashed the doors open, too concerned with getting back with the good news to think about presentation.

 

“I’msorrybutIjustfoundoutthatAsgorielarealive!”

 

“w-what? slow the fuck down!” The startled and agitated skeleton commanded.

 

“Sorry, sorry! I just found out that Asgore and Toriel are still alive!”

 

A crash came from behind me and I whipped around to the sight of almost all the monsters in the castle, looking at me like I had grown several extra heads and started doing a funny dance while naked. The crash came from Dogaressa dropping her battleax, her hands on her snout as tears rolled down her eyes.

 

“ **w h a t  d o  y o u  m e a n**?”

 

I turned back to Sans, and stepped back as I watched the blue-yellow flames sprouted from his sockets and licking up his skull.

 

“I…I got intel about them. He told me you labeled him as a traitor, but the thing is…”

 

“petals, right?”

 

I hesitated, taking in his livid expression.

 

“oh, believe me. he is a traitor. a weed with a monster soul that betrayed us to join the humans.”

_Okay, I see. It makes sense now._

 

“what do you– what the…?”

 

I didn’t realize I was shaking or that tears had begun to roll down my face. I had felt Asriel’s sadness when he told me his story. He was filled with shame, regret, and immense anxiety. He wanted to help someone, but it ended up costing him far more than he bargained for. It was so sad, and the monsters wouldn’t give him a chance. How… **human**.

 

“w-why are you crying?” I hadn’t noticed that Sans had come up to me, visibly sweating and clueless as to how to handle it.

 

“I’m just…it pains me to think what that poor child went through. If only you knew who Petals really is.”

 

“what do you mean?”

 

I opened my mouth to answer, but before I could speak, images flashed in my mind and warped audio followed.

 

_An older Frisk…_

_Guards leading me towards a set of bars that housed the former royals and other monsters…_

 

_Asgore and Toriel back in the castle, smiling as they continued to recover…_

 

_W. D. Gaster in a whirlwind of images, some of them I recognized as other AUs._

 

_Underfell Sans standing threateningly over me, looking delighted and menacing…_

 

_A fight between humans of Earth and monsters of Natura…_

 

_Sans reaching out to me, tears flowing, before pure blackness envelops my vision…_

 

_A world surrounded by illogical chaos…_

 

_The monsters I had grown to love, diseased, with the same sickness enveloping a terrified Sans…_

 

_A regal-looking fish monster standing before Sans in a threatening way, Sans appearing enraged with what she was saying…_

 

_A smile of a mostly blurred child…_

 

_A handshake between Frisk and Sans…_

 

I gasped, my pulse racing in my ears. Looking around, I realized that I had been transported to my room while I was seeing those images. So many monsters were in my room and I would be lying if I said I wasn’t flattered and embarrassed by so many of them being present.

 

“She’s back!” Dogaressa cried, stroking my head.

 

“What the hell happened?” Undyne demanded.

 

“I…huh…” I had to think hard. “What did you see happen?”

 

“your eyes changed. the pupils disappeared and your iris turned purple and lit up before the picture of a clock with the hands moving took place.” Sans answered as he sat down at the edge of the bed. “and then you just collapsed, unblinking as the hands moved, like time moving forward.”

 

“Your eyes only closed a few moments before you woke up.” Dogaressa finished.

 

“How long was I out?” I asked as I rubbed at my closed eyelids.

 

“it’s been about ten minutes, give or take. what the hell was that?”

 

“Considering what I saw, I think it was the future…or the possible future, at least. I saw several things, and considering the clock is a symbol of time, I doubt I’m wrong.”

 

“what? wait! what did you see?”

 

 **“Allow me.”**  Soul cut in.  **“I can display a version of her visions now that she has indeed unlocked her future sight.”**

 

Lifting the hand so the palm was facing the empty wall, the symbol of an eye – like what a lot of psychics used – lit up briefly on the backside of the hand as a ray of light beamed out of the palm, hitting the wall like a projector. It showed a blurry image of what I had seen, fading in and out with clarity.

 

**“Unfortunately, without proper training, I can’t display some of these properly. The closer in time they are or the more likely they are to happen, the easier it will be to show a detailed picture.”**

 

The images of Frisk helping you retrieve the former royals as well as their recovering were far clearer than the fight between Natura and Earth, which was basically the same as someone desperately in need of prescription glasses. Gaster’s image had a black border. Sans’ Underfell counterpart and the standoff between Sans and the unknown fish monster was less blurred, which worried me.

 

The images of the unconscious/possessed monsters shifted in clarity as did the regal monster threatening Sans. The illogical chaos was very blurry, especially near the end. On the flip side, the clearest images were of Sans reaching for me, the child’s smile, and the handshake.

 

“What the hell?” Undyne gasped when the ‘slideshow’ was over.

 

“what do the different kinds of blurring mean?”

 

**“I’m not entirely sure. But based off analysis and logic, I’d say the blurrier it is, the less likely it is to happen. That said, making specific choices means some visions will change in how likely they are to happen. They could also change very slightly. But with all the choices made, what you see is what you get.”**

 

“i see.” Sans nodded, eyes unfocused as he considered the information. “is there a way to control these visions to find more answers?”

 

 **“Yes, but it will take time and patience. Also, I must warn you that in the future, if an image comes out black, it means Rachel’s Mother is blocking me from projecting it and it’s only for Rachel to see – for her, it will have a black border around it.”** I nodded, understanding. **“Rachel does not make the rules, and neither does her Mother at a lot of times.**

**“Fate is the one who rules over all of us and ultimately makes the final decisions for that. Lady Ochena, or Och for short, oversees the progress alongside her brothers, Lord Gabriel and Lord Doniel, the first and third members of the Council of G.O.D and Rachel is the one in charge of carrying out Judgement and other physical actions among the universe’s various worlds.”**

 

“i see. good to know.” He turned back to me. “it looks as though a human woman will help you retrieve asgore and toriel. do you know that woman, by any chance?”

 

I grinned. “That…would be Frisk.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your favorite riddle?**


	19. I KNOW THIS STILL ISN’T A MUSICAL, BUT I’M HOLDING OUT FOR A HERO!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel shares a bit more backstory and makes a decision of what to do next, despite Sans orders.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All the backstory information for Rachel is true to me. I went through all of it.

“no…that’s not– why would frisk help you?” Sans stammered.

 

“Because they have been trying to help this whole time, but the other humans and almost all of the monsters wouldn’t let them. They have been working with Petals to find a solution.”

 

He sneered, turning away.

 

“And another thing…it got me thinking why I’m here. I think I was sent to this world because it lacked what Frisk was meant to be.” I narrowed my eyes at Sans before regarding the other monsters. “Frisk would have been the ambassador, or the bridge, between monsters. But in this timeline…world…whatever! In this place, something went wrong. I’m not sure what, but…it did.”

 

“it’s the humans…they ruined everything. they stole the king and queen and just– they act like we are in the wrong.” When said like that, it sounded like Sans was trying to validate why destroying them was okay.

 

“That’s what it is to be at odds, to have different viewpoints, and to judge others for being different.”

Everyone was staring at me, the same expression on their faces. It wasn’t quite awe; there was sadness, maybe understanding, fear, and anger.

 

“Heaven knows I’ve been on both the giving and receiving end of this. And back in the world I came from, when I was sent away from home, I gradually became better at it than others. It took a lot of fighting back first for me to see that it is okay to have an opinion, but some of those opinions destroy us. I’m still working on it.”

 

I hadn’t told anyone my full history, so the confusion was understandable.

 

“Let me explain. I spent the first twenty-one years of my life living with my parents. After high school, I took a hiatus from…almost everything. Started college after a while, but after about a year, I left that, too. I left with a lot of bad blood and it was just…messy. I was a mess.

 

“After a few years of staying at home and doing nothing but internet related crap, trying to pull myself together, my parents decided I needed to leave. I was given a week to choose between two therapeutic programs, one an  _adventure_  program and the other a  _gardening_  one or something. I don’t know because I chose the first.

 

“It was hard, but it was the beginning. I learned a lot about myself since then. And it was there that more of the pieces to the puzzle that is me were put together. I am not normal, and I never will be – at least not in a world like  **that**. That is a fact. I was born with a lot of crap that mainly effects my emotional and physical tolerances. When I left the adventure therapy and went to a program that I found would only work for children and lower functioning, but not necessarily stupid, individuals, I learned more when I was sent to the hospital after threatening suicide.

 

“Six months after, I was sent away again. This time, I went to another wilderness program. Again, it was hard, but unlike the first time, this felt better by the end. When I left, I had a healthy respect for my family and a bigger perspective.

 

“My final program was a transition program and it was here that I suffered the most. Let’s call these programs ‘Adventure’, ‘Villa’, ‘Trek’, and ‘Steps’. In Adventure, I learned what my diagnoses were, even though  **they**  got it slightly wrong. In Villa, I confirmed their mistake and learned only what didn’t work for me. Those people taught me I couldn’t rely on anyone else. In Trek, I learned open-mindedness, how to see others’ point of views, and a little about how to change myself; it was the hardest, but it helped me today. And finally, Steps taught me that I cannot trust others easily, but that I can problem-solve to help myself. It was in that final  _step_  that I found Undertale.

 

“The fact of the matter is that both sides in this conflict are thinking the same thing and are at odds because of it – which is interesting because this way of thinking is very  _human_. You blame the humans for taking away your leaders and, more specific to Sans, for forcing you into a position where you feel you don’t belong, or you just hate being there. And they probably blame you for sealing them underground and probably killing them in addition to the suffering they have dealt with from being underground and whatnot.

 

“It’s ironic that you are butting heads over the same mentality. It happens a lot. I have seen it, in myself when I fight others, and in others just by observing them. Despite being different growing up, I had to learn to survive emotionally. I have gone insane before. But I used my love of magic – something I didn’t have but practiced with any, which is why I’m so good at it here – and my imagination to keep me sane. I had a version of the main Undertale cast who I talked to daily, and given that Sans and I suffer from a similar situation, I understand why you are doing this. But I will say that by fighting back, you are making things harder for you and others.”

 

“You need to find out what works. Sometimes, fighting to  **defend**  yourself is the right choice. However, sometimes you need to make sacrifices – in this case, your pride – so that the suffering of many can end. It is very hard to change, but there is a time when you need to so you can move forward.”

 

I turned to involve everyone.

 

“It is okay to be upset with these turns of events. But right now, the only thing that is happening is a growing hatred for each other. You don’t know everything about each other, you can only make assumptions about why they have done what they did and vice versa. Yes, it is the same for them! One thing I can say for certain is that both sides are letting their emotions control their logic. And as one individual from my world perfectly illustrated, and posted to the internet, while logic has created devastating and terrifying weapons of mass destruction, emotion is the one who uses them…”

 

To say these people around me had become fearful was far too modest an assumption; they looked like they were staring at a place worse than the implied Hell.

 

“I say this with a clear head since I’m not perfect and will let my emotions take control, too. I have a long way to go to gain control. But, so do the monsters and humans of Natura. That is probably why I’m here; so that we can work together to find a solution while improving ourselves. It might sound stupid and useless and out of reach since humans are stubborn creatures who often let the seven deadly sins control them. But I guess that’s why you have me. Yes, I am a person who has had their emotions fueling their actions for twenty-four years and is only just starting to get control of them. But when it comes to how humans think, I can safely say I know a shit-ton more than any of you do.”

 

I was grinning even though the tension was extremely thick. The room was silent, the aura of foreboding wafting through the air and the unified thought of  _why try_  clear on the faces of everyone present, including Grillby who was basically expressionless.

 

“I know you don’t want to. I don’t want to either. But–”

 

“then why would you suggest it?” I turned back to Sans. His calculating gaze gave me pause as I returned it with what I hoped was an expression of fierce determination. Determination had not been one of my strongest traits in years, but I hoped it would be enough.

 

“If you don’t try, only more sacrifices will be made. Peace might not happen now, or in ten years, or even in a hundred. But it will happen eventually. And probably at a time when you aren’t expecting it and aren’t ready. Humans are smart and given the initiative, they will find a way to destroy their foes. The people from Earth, my home, have other humans to fight, which might be why they are reluctant to fight sometimes. But in this world, these are two species fighting for dominance. Most humans have no empathy for you, especially since you have been aggressive, just like them. That means you need to give them a reason to feel empathy, and eventually, that will lead to understanding and hopefully peace.”

 

“why not just wipe them out?” Came the deadpanned response.

 

I groaned. “Two reasons! First, because you have tried that and they have used their superior knowledge of their former home’s terrain against you, capturing the troops you sent to attack. And second, because it is wrong. If the humans were meant to be destroyed, they would not be on this planet. Same goes for the monsters. Everything happens for a reason! I wholeheartedly believe that! And my being here is proof of that!”

 

“What the hell does that mean?”

 

I turned to Undyne and smiled sadly. “I knew I didn’t belong on Earth. I was prepared to commit suicide, but then I was forced to run away after an incident, died anyway, and then came back before I was…sent here.” I paused, my head tilted down sadly. Moment later, I readjusted, standing tall and with confidence. “Furthermore, this is a situation I have seen countless times and even been through, though the situation involved far less people. But my knowledge can help you since, as I already said, I know how humans think and I can help mediate between you.”

 

“no. i stand by my views. humans cannot be trusted.”

 

“I understand your hesitancy. I never considered myself human even before my powers were active.”

 

“oh, trust me…you aren’t human. you might look it, but you aren’t. i can tell from your soul.”

 

I smiled briefly. “But I was born from a human. It might have only been a vessel so that I could be brought into the world, but it was from a human woman.”

 

He growled in warning. “be that as it may, i won’t make peace with those…”

 

“Will you consider it if I bring Asgore and Toriel back?”

 

He stared me down. “what are you planning?”

 

“I don’t need any help. If you won’t authorize a search party, I’ll go alone. I can do this alone. And since I look human–”

 

“denied. you are going to stay here. if a guard needs to watch you, so be it.”

 

I fisted my hands and closed my eyes, breathing in and out slowly to reign in my temper. If I were back on Earth before the incident, I would have fought back. But I knew better that fighting now would not help. I needed a plan. Regardless of what Sans decided, I had a purpose here.

 

“I see.” I replied softly, opening my eyes and gazing up at the lounging skeleton. “Very well, then. I’ll be in my room.”

 

“you won’t try anything?”

 

“I don’t have enough training to do anything useful right now.”

 

“you’re right.” He replied almost gleefully. “well then, grillby, madjick, ressa!” The magician hummed, the elemental crackled, and the dog guard barked. “her training will be on hold for the time being to make sure that she cannot do anything reckless.”

 

All three nodded, each with a saddened expression on their face. It didn’t bother me and I shrugged to show as much as I walked through the crowd.

 

“Will you be okay, dear?” Dogaressa inquired.

 

I smiled, making sure to let a little sadness into my face. “Don’t worry about me.”

 

I continued walking on. When I reached my room, I made sure to lock my door.

 

“Okay Soul, looks like this will take a while.” The hand bobbed as he nodded. I grinned, looking up at the ceiling, imagining Frisk on a throne similar but not the same as Sans’. “Sorry Frisk, but looks like you’ll be holding out for a hero. But don’t worry, I’ll be on my way soon enough.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is a relateable story you have? (Good, bad, silly, etc.)**


	20. I DON’T NEED AN EPIC TRAINING MONTAGE TO LOOK COOL!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After being denied the chance to leave in order to save the former monster royals, as well as all training being halted, Rachel takes matters into her own hands. But will all go according to her plan?

Sans had kept his word and stationed a guard outside my room. Furthermore, the lock on my door had been removed so the guard could check in regularly. To combat this, the first thing Soul taught me was Astral Projection, or something that was very similar to it.

 

Under Soul’s guidance, I quickly mastered it in a day. It became clear that Soul was my guide and protector because he was the most capable of helping me, and only me, knowing my mentality – what worked and what didn’t – so well.

 

From then on, I traveled to the plains of Heaven and trained with Soul under the surveillance of Mother. I spent the time improving both magic and martial arts. Lady Ochena had not only confirmed that my course of action was the right one, but also helped in improving my lessons and gave me warnings when someone was about to check on me so that I could send a signal to twitch my physical body from my spiritual self.

 

I learned how to control the elements faster than anything else because as a fan of an animated television series about people who could  _bend_ one of the four elements, and the single individual who bended all four and was tasked with keeping balance in the world, I copied the movements when I danced. I thanked my younger self for  _pretending_  to do magic.

 

It was hard to control without music, but under the guidance of the two who knew me best and knew how to help me the most, I picked it up much quicker. And since I had spent years learning the movements from various television series, UTube, and more, it was easy to tweak it. I didn’t need years to master what I had already learned. The only difference was that I now had the actual abilities to ‘bend the elements’ and it created more physical, and spiritual, strain.

 

Soul would spend a lot of our training sessions in his human form, outside of the tail. Given that he was younger than me and created later in my life, he had the form of a gothic teenager. However, while part of that gothic appearance was due to when he came into my life – that being during the start of my goth phase – he was also my brother, thus his appearance was partially due to his parentage.

 

Unlike me, however, he did not have a genetic tie to Lady Ochena or any of the other angels. If any of the humans from Earth found out about his parentage, they would have wondered why he wasn’t aggressive at the very least. But then, humans did assume a lot…

 

My training progressed, and my tolerance and capabilities grew steadily. It had finally come to a point where I could manipulate air and fire with ease and water with enough control that it could be used effectively. Unfortunately, I could do very little with earth; I could only pull boulders up to block incoming attacks, project rocks as big as my fist, and create small tremors. Earth had always been an element I wasn’t…close to. But with what I had accomplished thus far, that was okay. I knew I would get it eventually.

 

When I wasn’t learning elemental manipulation, I was learning better control over my other  _awakened_  abilities, as well as spellcasting and other similar magics. After months of practice, I could force my future vision into one eye so that I could remain conscious and keep whatever was in front of me in sight, even while the visions were going. I learned that if the future vision ability was active, whatever I saw could be seen again later, thanks to Soul.

 

Super speed and telepathy were the easiest to control, the latter having been mostly under my control before my astral training began. Super speed was easier to control when I changed my vision to accommodate it.

 

In the beginning, whenever I used super speed, it was one speed that was about Mach 5 without any further training. With the increased speed, I transitioned my sight to navigate both as far ahead of me as possible – which was over a mile – as well as identifying objects ahead of me and on all sides as quickly as possible. With extra training, I had increased by speed to Mach 10 and could change speeds if I stopped first. I had also learned to stop at a standstill, so transitioning speeds happened quicker.

 

Lastly, using both spell casting and my reality magic to aid me, I managed to learn the basics of invisibility – which could only be used for about one to four minutes depending on emotional stability – and illusions. I learned to create illusions around myself, which I called Personal Illusions since they were on my person and changed things like my hair color, shape of my face, etc, and illusions of small items like a water bottle, rock, rope, or box – dubbed Objective Illusions since they were of objects.

 

I achieved better control of magic as well as improved my martial arts by relearning what I had been taught in my early years and learning new techniques, and all of it was accomplished after five months.

 

In addition to training, during those five months, I got weekly updates from Petals on the state of things from the humans’ side. It was rare that he had anything of note to report, until at four months, he came in one day looking troubled. He explained that something suspicious was happening and neither Frisk nor he knew what was going on. It had something to do with the monsters – they were worn down in a way that wasn’t normal.

 

I didn’t know what to say, but told him to be careful. Also, I told him I would try to hatch an escape plan as soon as possible. He seemed relieved at that and left. That was the last time I met with him before I made good on my promise since it was around the two months mark that Sans was starting to suspect that I was up to something. After no proof was found by the guards, he had taken it upon himself to find out what I was doing.

 

 

I woke up from my last training session with an angry skeleton staring down at me. I yelped, scooting as far away as I could.

 

“What the hell are you doing here?”

 

“i know you’re up to something, but every time i send someone to check on you, they all say you’re sleeping.”

 

“Yeah, I am. I do that when I’m depressed or bored. Why is that an issue?” I pouted.

 

“i noticed something odd during meals. you’re never late, you never speak, and you’re always wearing the same baggy hoodie, even when the heat is on.”

 

“Wow, amazing!” I replied sarcastically. “I must be used to it by now.”

 

“you would not be used to over one hundred degrees. i warned everyone and while they were sweating, you didn’t bat an eye.”

 

“I didn’t notice, and my body is dealing with my unsealed magic. What do you expect? Oh my, she’s capable of evolution! Call the  _whaaaaaaaambulance_!”

 

“what?”  _Right, note to self. Do a search on jokes and memes from Earth._

 

“memes?” He enunciated slowly.

 

“Never mind,” I grumbled.

 

He harrumphed, getting onto the bed and up in my face.

 

“What the hell dude? You should know what personal space is!”

 

“you wanna know what tipped it off that you’re up to something?”

 

I didn’t respond, just glaring up at him. I didn’t know what was going to happen, but I had a bad feeling about this.

 

“i unzipped your hoodie when i came in and noticed something that was weird given the circumstances.” I looked down at my open coat, the tank top I wore underneath hugging my curves. I observed the new muscles I had built up over the last few months, and that’s when it hit me. “i can understand the weight loss, but you gained a lot of muscle for someone who spends every day with the only activities being sleeping and eating.”

 

_Shit!_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your favorite kind of magic or power? Undertale-related or not?**
> 
> Happy 1st Birthday to my fan baby for Nightmare Before Christmas, Niami Skellington - she is the daughter of Jack Skellington and my Nightmare-sona, Rachel Terrora. 
> 
> Next birthday is another fan baby, Serif Aster - son of Sans and Rachel (regular persona) on October 25th, who is also 1! I know it doesn't make sense logically or biologically. Try not to think about it! ^^; We'll just say they are partial twins. I don't know.


	21. WHEN IN DOUBT, HAVING AWKWARD SITUATIONS AND KICKING ASS ARE YOUR BEST BET AT REACHING THE FINISH LINE!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel escapes the castle after an awkward situation with Sans and makes her way to the Human Empire. However, things are exactly as they seem and Rachel is not happy when she learns about how poorly some people are treated. In a war against monsters, humans prove they can be truly shitty against their own kind. What will Rachel do about this?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Trigger Warning: Physical abuse!**
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> This is your only warning. If you have problems with physical violence, sexism, or the like, skip after the * * *.

“yeah,  _shit_ is right. i guess you fucked up. and now, you’re gonna get locked up for treason.”

 

It was like  _the Incident_  – what I had dubbed my running away from Gabe and the police and whatnot on Earth – all over again. But instead of Gabe or the officers, it was Sans was who trying to stop me.

 

**Rachel, calm down! Just breathe and remember what you’ve learned!**

 

Soul’s confidence in me smashed all the fear the memories triggered and filled me with determination to get away.

 

“I’m sorry, but if you won’t help me…”  _Then I won’t let you stop me!_

 

I kicked him away and prepared to flee, but he pinned me down pressed something on his belt. The castle alarms were activated, signaling to the guards that they were to come to my room to assist in my capture.

 

“Damn it, Sans! I am trying to help you! Petals told me something is up with the monsters there, so I don’t have any time to lose! Let me go!”

 

“what? why are you working with that traitor? damn it, rachel, now you’re gonna get a death sentence for being a confirmed traitor.”

 

“No, Sans! Petals isn’t who you think he is!” The struggle had led to both of us being on the ground, facing each other, with the skeleton still above me and pinning me down. If the situation was different, I would have called it arousing, but the sexual tension wasn’t there. However, given that thought, I had an idea.

 

“Petals is Asriel Dreemur! He told me everything! His Soul was a Boss Monster Soul, so the barrier absorbed his status, or whatever, but not his Soul. Frisk saved him by putting him into a Flower pot where a bunch of dead flowers were and he became what he is today because of that. Please…trust me! He was a flower in Undertale, too! He didn’t want you to know that, so he put everyone to sleep during that part. He told me the history and everything!”

 

Sans looked mortified, but shook it off. “i don’t believe you.” He closed his eyes, grimacing.

 

With his strength weakened from shock, I took my chance. “I’m sorry, Sans…” I freed one hand and pulled his skull down to my face, pressing my lips to his mouth. He yelped against my mouth and I used the kiss to pour all my emotions into him, which included my desire to help, my determination to see this through, and my love for him as well. When I finally released him, he had a look of awe on his face and his hold had completely slackened.

 

“Trust me, Sans. I know what I’m doing! I’ll explain everything after I free Asgore and Toriel and bring them back.”

 

He sputtered incoherently and I used his shock to get up. I turned to the exit to my room as Dogaressa came in.

 

“What have you done?”

 

“I kissed him.” I said shortly, causing a blush from her and the guards with her. “Take care of him for me. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

 

I turned invisible, making it seem like I had left the room. Carefully backing up, I waited for there to be enough space to move around them. The opportunity came soon enough and as soon as I was out, I sped off.

 

“f-f-find her…she’s…she’s gonna do something…ugh!” Damn, that blush!

 

“Sire, you need to lie down!”

 

“no…” He moaned.

 

I couldn’t hear anymore and I moved out of range. At the exit, my invisibility wore off and I was forced to stop as Grillby, Guards 1 and 2, and Undyne blocked my path.

 

“You ain’t getting pass us, punk!”

 

“I’m sorry if I hurt you!” I bowed respectfully.

 

“Don’t you fucking dare!”

 

What happened next was interesting! Undyne tried to pull me into an encounter, but my foreign Soul rejected it entirely. Something like an error message popped up, and then everything resumed like normal.

 

“What the hell?!”

 

“Sorry!” I began my assault.

 

Activating my flames, I started out with meager attacks, shooting fireball after fireball. When Grillby started fighting back, I deflected and began showing my improved skills. When he proved to be stronger and more skilled, I used earthbending to create a tremor and airbending to knock him off his feet and further back.

 

I also used my airbending to send Undyne’s spears flying. Some of the spears ended up hitting one of the guards and with them being in a romantic relationship and the unhurt guard tending to his partner, I had little to worry about with them.

 

I dodged the spears and moved this way and that to avoid other attacks. When the sound of footsteps behind me became too loud to not be worrisome, I decided to blast Undyne and Grillby with a combination of wind and fire.

 

With the out of the way, I sped off at Mach 10, meeting up with Petals after five minutes.

 

“I’m glad you’re safe! May I have a ride?”

 

I grinned. “Yeah, hop on!”

 

With the flower safely secured on my shoulder, his body under my clothes and head on the back of my neck to avoid getting hurt by the whiplash of the wind as I traveled at Mach 10, we set off, stopping every little bit to gauge our surroundings.

 

“You’re almost there. When you see a red brick house in the distance, stop before you get to it.” I nodded and as soon as I got to it, stopped and used airbending to move forward at a gentler but still swift pace.

 

When I was within line of sight, I stopped all bending and began to walk.

 

“Soul, you’ll have to hide. I need to look fully human, so no magical  _anything_.”

 

“What about me?” Petals inquired.

 

**“I will make a temporary telepathic communication between you two so all you need to do is reach out and you may speak. This will come in handy.”**

 

With that, Soul – tail and all – retracted back into me and with his essence within me, the telepathic communication was formed. I bent down and let Petals crawl back towards the ground.

 

“Okay, I will leave your side for now. But I will guide you once you are within their midst.” I nodded and once he left, burrowing into the ground and leaving no trace, I continued towards the red cottage.

 

When I was only ten feet or so away, I could see some people working. A middle-aged man and woman wearing what could only be scraps of clothing that were gray and brown hues, and only worked because they were put together in a way made it work. I only saw it for what it was with my enhanced sight. Compared to them, my all-black attire of bra, tank top, pants, ankle socks, and sneaker-like shoes were regal. Thank goodness I didn’t have my hoodie, having lost it in the scuffle with Sans; I didn’t want the humans to take it, though.

 

I let my eyes flash to a dull blue-green to hide any connection to magic as I walked up to them. Time to put on a show.

 

“Hello?” I called.

 

They both startled, the man holding the woman behind him as if to shield her. When they found the source of the startling noise, they relaxed.

 

“Oh my, young lady. You startled us.” They made their way over, smiling in relief. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I’ve been traveling for a while. I just came from the monster castle. I was trying to find other humans.”

 

The woman covered her mouth in dismay. “Oh, you are so brave. Have they harmed you?”

 

“No, they were actually really nice. But I wanted to find other humans. They told me about other humans, so I went searching.”

 

“Where are you from originally?” The man inquired.

 

“I actually don’t know. My memory is fuzzy. I only remember waking up to one of them tending to my wounds, which otherwise would have been fatal. They also gave me a place to stay that was nice and so big and luxurious. They didn’t want me to leave, either, though I decided that I wanted to see the world. But I intend to return to them eventually.”

 

“Those awful monsters?” The man scoffed. “Pff, right! Those creatures should be sentences to the worst fate imaginable!”

 

“Sir, that is so rude. They were so nice. Their king was especially sweet, although he seemed so sad. But one of them was a doggy who acted like a mom to me. She called me her pup, too. She was such a sweet lady! I wish she could have come with me, but she…”

 

“They were obviously deceiving you, child!” The man insisted.

 

I shook my head. “They would never. I stayed with them for months and they were so gracious.” I brightened up. “So, who are you both? What are your names?”

 

The man seemed grateful for the subject change. “I’m Jim and this is my wife, Marie.” I shook their hands.

 

“So, are you the only two who live around here?”

 

“We are only here to farm. We bring it back to the underground where the others are. We are one of the fifteen parties who farm. And then there are fifteen who fish. And fifteen who hunt. All food goes to be sorted for everyone underground. We have to be careful so those damn beasts don’t catch us!” He sneered.

 

I scowled briefly. “So, where is this underground?”

 

They looked at each other thoughtfully. Finally, Jim said, “If you wouldn’t mind working with us for a bit, when we’re done, we’ll show you.” Despite how he phrased it, he meant ‘work for us’. Humans, always so spiteful of others who are different regardless of species or anything. Sure, mention liking monsters and see what happens. It made me curious what they would have said if I acted like I was against monsters. Probably wouldn’t have to work.

 

I mentally groaned, keeping the smile on my face. “Sure, I suppose I can. Tell me what to do!”

 

For the next three hours, I helped weed, water, tow equipment, and fertilize, not necessarily in that order. Unlike before  _the Incident_ , I noticed now that I had no fatigue and hadn’t even broken a sweat under the scorching sunlight. My body had readily adapted and I found I had more strength than either of the humans I was working with. So, I pretended to be tired at the end even though I wasn’t.

 

“Alright, little lady!  Come with us! Grab that basket.”

 

I followed them, clutching the basket of food. The cave entrance was ten minutes away and upon reaching it, Jim told the guards about me.

 

“Okay, little lady, you’ll have to go with them.” Jim gestured to the guards. “Don’t worry, though. They’ll help you out and keep you safe.”

 

Marie took my basket and smiled at me as she followed her husband a different way. I turned to the two guards as they nodded briefly to their fellows who stayed before taking a different path.

 

“All new citizens have to meet with our leader. She is the one who saved us and has led us ever since.”

 

“I don’t want to be a citizen, sir. I came to see other humans, but I don’t want to stay for too long. I want to see the world, and maybe make new friends along the way.”

 

“Girl, you won’t stand a chance out there with the  _monsters_  in charge.” He spat the species title with revulsion. “You’re better off staying with us.”

 

“But that’s where I came from. They know me, and have kept me safe before I came here.”

 

“Ha, ha, really funny, girl! But that’s not something to joke about.”

 

“I wasn’t.” I insisted in a small voice, playing the innocent little girl act flawlessly, I hoped.

 

“Those monsters are the reason we have to fight for survival. They will destroy any human.”

 

“Why, though? There must be a reason.”

 

“Because they think because they have magic, they’re better than us!”

 

“They told me that humans kidnapped their king and queen.”

 

* * *

 

The sudden slap to the face was alarming. I looked up, letting the tears bud in my eyes. “Don’t believe what they tell you, ya ignorant bitch. They’re the enemy and they deserve to perish.”

 

My lip quivered. “You’re mean.”

 

“You’re stupid and naïve, so you deserved it.” Is that what they told Frisk before the barrier broke?

 

“Now get up and follow silently.” I looked at the other guard and he was glaring down at me, too.

 

“I don’t want to. You hit me, so why should I?”

 

He muttered something about incompetence and ignorance before kicking me in the side. I screamed, the sound echoing. I willed the air to carry it further. Soon enough, there were footsteps.

 

* * * 

 

“What are you doing?” A authoritative voice demanded softly.

 

The guards jumped into action, turning and kneeling to bow. “M’lady Frisk, forgive the noise. This girl was being vulgar despite the hospitality being given to her.”

 

“They slapped me for telling the truth!” I pointed to my face with was tingling and probably red from the abuse.

 

“What have I told you about abusing anyone?” Frisk - adorned in regal green robes that hung off them like a dress, a crown wrapped around their head - appeared, disappointment radiating off of them.

 

“Forgive me.”

 

“Go back to your post. And if you harm anyone else unprovoked, and I mean truly unprovoked, like having an opinion, and you will be given no meals for three days.”

 

He nodded and returned with the other guard, both sneering at me as they left.

 

“I apologize. Humans still have a lot of changing to do.”

 

I stood up and used a small healing spell to erase the pain. “Don’t worry about it. I know that all too well. I just have to remember that they are pretty stupid and I have nothing to worry about. Besides, monsters can be the same sometimes.”

 

Frisk smirked. “That was quite the performance you put on. I will admit I was amused.”

 

“You saw?”

 

“Through Asriel, I did. He apparently was given a connection to you. And through our connection, I could experience everything from your perspective. When you screamed, I was already on my way. And yes, that is exactly how I was treated. I’m sorry.”

 

I bowed respectfully. “Progress is often slow going. But I’m here to help both sides.”

 

Frisk smiled. “I am thankful. The animosity is ridiculous and painful to watch.”

 

I nodded emphatically, “Yes, I know.”

 

“Come, let us talk in a place that is more comfortable.”

 

“Thank you. Please lead the way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What song would you use to describe the CounterTale characters thus far? (Sans, Rachel, etc...)**
> 
> Happy 1st Birthday, Serif! Love you!


	22. SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST MEANS I CAN RIP YOU A NEW ONE IF I WANT TO!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A lot of humans learn the hard way that they can't get away with sexual abuse when it comes to Rachel. However, what happens when the council gets involved?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've dealt with a lot of sexism and general bigotry towards me and others like me, though not at this magnitude. But I've read enough to understand it. If this happened to me, trust me, I'd fight back.

A lot happened in a short amount of time. I was given a temporary – Frisk assured me – place to live and a job to do – to keep up the disguise for other residents. However, according to these assholes who live in the olden days of Earth’s history, women are only good for housework and such. So, while there were jobs that required heavy lifting or more fun things like strategizing and more, women – except for Frisk, who was biologically female and called as such despite their protests – weren’t allowed to perform any of these tasks.

 

And unfortunately for me, the only availability was in the bar, working as a waitress, host, and cleaning crew. Frisk was deeply sorry and had even tried to find another post, but the man in charge of calculating everything assured them there was nothing else. All the women who had worked there first had transferred out to avoid the men, most of whom were condescending and occasionally did minor sexual assaults on the women working, who came to have a drink when they were on break or when night came.

 

I had never wanted to break a man so badly. And with my new strength, I was certain I could do so if I didn’t hold back. But I held on and used the negative side of my personality as well as physical defense to my advantage…

 

I stepped out wearing a surprisingly well made frilly dress dipped low to show cleavage and had a high skirt. Luckily, it came with black tights and I wore cute shoes. On my head was a little hat. It was a degrading outfit and left the entire bar hushed and all the men blushing. With my body weight trimmed down from my training, which Mother graciously transferred into my physical form, and my large breast size still a factor, I was fully aware what this job would entail.

 

“Oooooh, we finally have someone fully filled out. Mmmmm, you look good enough to eat!”

 

“Try anything, sir, and I will cut off your genitals.” I replied. The only response the man gave was a few choking noises and the sounds of chairs as a couple men backed up. “Keep your hands to yourself, do not treat me like an object, and everything will be fine. I will rip you a new one if you refuse to be respectful.”

 

“Who the hell do you think you are, bitch?” A brave one asked, clearly a regular who has gotten away with shameful acts in the past.

 

“I’m an outsider to your ways, but just because I’m here does not mean I will bend to your sexist desires. You want me to be kind and treat you with respect, you better be willing to do the same for me. So, if you act like you are superior and can get away with assault, see what happens. I fucking dare you.”

 

I met the man – a human between the ages of thirty and forty-five by the looks of it who gave off a vibe that he had had a few romantic partners who he either ditched or who left him – head on, returning his scowl with a determined, unafraid glared. While his chin was held up to show superiority, I kept mine down to show that he would not get his way with me.

 

“You’ll regret that, little bitch.” He stood and strode over to me. “I’ll personally see to it that you become my toy.” He rested his hand on my shoulder, but I didn’t let him go any further.

 

One moment, the cocky bastard was above me acting like the king of the bar, the next he was kissing the ground in front of my feet.

 

“I’m no one’s bitch. But if you wanna play like that, I’ll make sure that the one with the collar is you.” I cracked my knuckles. “Two can play this game, and I don’t need anyone’s permission to rip you or any other sexist bastard a new one. Wanna know why? It’s survival of the fittest, and I sure as hell have what it takes to prove where I stand. And you bet you sorry ass that if it’s not at the top, it’s nearer to it than any scumbags like you.”

 

I turned to the rest of the room, everyone shocked into silence. “You wanna have a go at me, go ahead. I’ll even do you a favor and land you on top of this dumbass so that you have a cushion. You have been warned, men. Treat me and all the other women here like equals and there won’t be any problems from me. I’m a fighter. If I don’t like something, I will do something about it.”

 

I walked towards the bartender. “Well, seeing as I have a job to do…who’s first?”

 

After everything was said and done, the man was carted off to his room and the men were more than happy to be respectful to me and the other women working here. With only a little bit of my airbending, I managed to do an amazing job balancing everything. And after a while, everyone settled down and both the patrons and the workers seemed content.

 

“Thank you so much for what you did, Miss Rachel.” One of my co-worker, a girl of sixteen years named Abigail sniffed. “The men are so much nicer now. How old are you? Where did you come from? Where have you been all this time?”

 

“Ha, ha! Well, I’m twenty-four!”

 

“Oh my, you’re the second oldest. Bonnie is twenty-eight, but the rest of us are between fourteen and twenty-two. Mia was twenty-six, but she transferred.”

 

“Cool. As for where I’m from. I came from the monster kingdom. I have no memories of before that.”

 

“Oh my god! What did they do you to?”

 

“Nothing! I was hurt…I don’t remember…but they saved me.”

 

“What? Really?”

 

“Yeah. And as for your last question, I don’t know. All I know is they saved me. But I wanted to learn about the world, so I left. That made them sad.”

 

They all seemed to like my company and we talked more. The girl Bonnie seemed sad, and she was the only one who didn’t want to talk.

 

“What’s up?” I asked when the others had to get back to work.

 

“It’s nothing.” Her arms that were folded across her chest and hiding her cleavage tightened to the point of trembling. “I’m fine. But I do thank you for what you did.”

 

“No problem. Considering it was gonna be an issue for me, too, I wasn’t gonna take their crap.” She smiled shyly.

 

“But seriously, I can tell you’re upset. Please tell me and I’ll try to help.”

 

She sighed. “That man you beat up has gone through twenty-six known women. Three of them he married, but the others were flings, occasionally during when he was married. In this society, women cannot refuse a man. He is forty-two now and recently has shown interest in me. And I cannot refuse.”

 

“Why not?” I grunted in disgust.

 

“Two reasons. The first is because ‘the only thing women are good for are housework and breeding’ and second is because the assholes in charge have proclaimed that a woman cannot refuse a man with anything.”

 

“They do realize that their leader is biologically a woman, don’t they? Even if Frisk prefers no gender.”

 

She laughed bitterly, “Yeah…” She sniffed. “And her – I mean their – legacy is the only thing saving them. I’m going to be forced into a relationship I don’t want and will make babies for him and other men.”

 

I gaze hardened and my eyes flashed briefly before regaining their lackluster blue-green. “Not if I have anything to say about it.”

 

That night, on the way to my room, I was stopped by the same two guards who were rude to me when I initially came.

 

“We heard what happened at the bar. If you think you can come here pretending to be innocent and start messing around with superiors, you have another thing coming.”

 

“What makes them or you superior?” I asked unflinching, daring them.

 

“Men are around to lead. Women are around to follow and help the cycle continue. That is all you are good for. You aren’t nearly as strong as men.”

 

My attacks were precise, a jab here, and kick to this muscle at this angle, and three punches to specific pressure points. It took less than half a minute for both men to be incapacitated.

 

“Don’t fool yourself. You are pathetic and the only reason you can get away with the shit you do is because women have to deal with more than crap like you. You don’t deal with nearly as much pain. And don’t worry…I’ll show you your place every time if that’s what you need to understand how insignificant you really are. Men who think they own the opposite sex are the dumbest of them all. You are weak because of that shitty disposition. And I just proved it without breaking a sweat. Night, hope your nightmares are a good enough reminder that you aren’t anywhere near as strong as you think you are.”

 

It took a week of constantly beating the shit of out stupid men before the council in charge of the goings on decided to try to stop me. Having seen them coming via vision, I had just arrived at the bar in the attire I left the monsters in when men wearing regal attire came waltzing in.

 

“Rachel, come with us.”

 

“Why?”

 

“You have created a disturbance in our society and are being sent to the prison to await a trial.”

 

“Oh, so you don’t like that I am proving your ideals about men being better than women wrong. Wow, you are a sorry bunch. And I’m sure you’re embarrassed that you have come to me and are basically implying that because I put your men in their place, that you want to remove me so I can’t keep ruining your image. It’s so hilarious!” I giggled.

 

“If you won’t come quietly, we will use force.”

 

“Y’know what, just to humor you, I’ll come quietly and bust out later.” I turned to the crowd watching the encounter. “Hey, yeah! Let’s make a bet! If I can successfully escape from your prison, every man has to pay each lady one gold piece each.”

 

“Why would we allow that?”

 

“It’s on your honor,  _sire_.” I taunted. “How about this? If I can successfully free myself and whatever prisoners you have down there, then will you do it? Each man must pay each woman one gold piece? Oh, and treat all women with respect from then on, of course. Equal rights for all!”

 

“How ridiculous?”

 

“Ha, ha! You’re that scared? You men are so spineless that you won’t take a bet that given the circumstances, could easily fail!”

 

“Yeah, do it! I doubt she’ll pull it off! She’s a woman!” A drunkard laughed.

 

“Yeah, I’m a woman.” I grinned smugly, batting my eyes provocatively.

 

Soon, everyone was chanting, “Do it! Do it! Do it! Do it!”

 

“Chairman, I find this acceptable.” Frisk announced from beside the women watching.

 

“Very well, but if you fail, the women must kneel before the men and subject themselves to whatever is in store.”

 

The girls flinched, and Frisk immediately went to soothe them.

 

“Trust me, ladies!” I called without turning. “These idiots don’t stand a chance!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Besides Undertale, what other video games do you like?**


	23. SEE, I HAD A PLAN…EVEN THOUGH MOST OF IT WAS WHIPPED OUT OF MY ASS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The dungeon cells prove to be no match for Rachel. But will she be able to save all the monsters and get past the human guards?

The dungeon was the furthest down and upon entering came the sight of anguished, diseased monsters. I said nothing as I was led in handcuffs to the only unoccupied cell, which was next to the two largest monsters, both hidden in shadow but still easily recognizable.

 

“You abominations have a human friend now. Play nice.” They laughed, locking me in without undoing the handcuffs.

 

“You have three days, bitch. Use that time to write an apology. You’re not getting out.” I smiled regardless. With a final sneer, they all exited soon after. When the door slammed shut, I sighed.

 

“Glad I found you guys. I knew I could do it. Sans is gonna be  _sooooooo_  happy. And then of course, the look on his face when he realizes that I was right will be  _priceless_. Yyyyyyyyyup!”

 

“Y…ou….know…Sans?” A feminine voice that immediately made me think of Toriel whispered brokenly.

 

“Oh geez, you guys look…not good.”

 

“They…did…s-some…thing.” A rough, rumbling bass that could only belong to Asgore replied.

 

“When I get you out, we’ll go see Alphys.”

 

“S…so Sans…tr…trusted a…human?” Toriel questioned.

 

“I’m not a human. I only look like a human. It made it easier to get in.”

 

_Flowey, I mean Petals…I need a map for after I get these guys free._

 

I will send you a mental image. Be careful. When you’re out, send me a sign.

 

_How about I scream WE’RE OUTTA HERE or something!_

 

Pffff! Okay, I’ll keep an eye out! Good luck, my friend!

 

_Petals…do your parents know who you are?_

 

Yes, I couldn’t hide it. But they are the only monsters who do know, currently.

 

_And Sans, but he didn’t believe me. I had to use it to help me get away from him._

 

It’s okay. His forces are on their way. They had to prepare, but they will be arriving tomorrow night.

 

_Then I better get a move on._

 

I’ll keep you informed when they get close. Be safe.

 

_Thank you!_

 

With that out of the way, and the mental map and best route out comfirmed, I turned to the monsters.

 

“How many of you can walk without help?”

 

“Only three…”

 

“Why do you ask, girl?”

 

“Because I came here to free you. Sans and his forces are apparently coming tomorrow night, which means I need to move fast.”

 

“There is no hope for us. You are wasting your time…”

 

“Why do you say that?”

 

“These bars are magic-proof.”

 

_Hmm…_

 

I tested it and found that my flames did the damage they would have done to regular metal.

 

“What?”

 

“How did you do that?”

 

I grinned. “I’m not from this world. But I think I was brought here to save it.”

 

The monsters hummed curiously while I continued to think up a plan. I didn’t need a fully thought out plan because I relied on instinct and spontaneity most the time. Reviewing the mental map, I began to have an idea.

 

“Okay, I wonder…if my idea works, I’m going to need to keep it up the whole night. Soul, will you be able to help me?”

 

**“Yes, and while your spiritual self gets rest, I will take over so you get sleep.”**

 

“What about the monsters?”

 

**“We are too far down for it to be a problem.”**

 

“Okay, let’s get started. Sans is coming earlier than he realizes.”

 

With my heightened senses, I could watch the chaos unfold as the illusion of Sans, a skeletal army, and countless other warriors invaded. Using illusions to create chaos was fun and it did not drain me at all. When the time approached ten at night, Soul took over.

 

I slept soundly, smiling at the horrified faces of the council and the other men as the fake Sans attacked, knocking over tables, chairs, beds, and more, creating chaos and just making an enormous mess. No one could defeat him, and I had listened when many wondered how they got in and how they knew where to go. I heard my name accompanied with ‘spy’, but then I had the illusion shout, asking where I was in a protective way.

 

“She is his lover?”

 

‘where is she? where have you taken her?’ Poor skeleton was very unhappy to be  _sans_  his lover.

 

_Oh hell, I need to remember that for later! Waaaaaay later!_

 

Before going to sleep, I remember thinking,  _Sans was gonna kill me for this._

 

I woke up and checked in on the progress. Everyone was as far away from the main path leading out as possible and the illusion was still at work, going between smashing items to demanding where I was. No one spoke, whether it was because they couldn’t find the words or they didn’t want  _Sans_  to find out because I was with the other monsters.

 

“Alright! Soul, can you keep it going as we get out of here?”

 

**“Yes, take your time. I have it.”**

 

I giggled, wrapping air around the bars at a fast-enough pace that they were sliced through. I walked out and turned behind me, carving two words for the humans to find later.

 

I went to each set of bars and alternating between fire and air, breaking them with ease. I tasked the three individuals who were strong enough to carry Asgore and Toriel. The rest were either strong enough to walk slowly or used me for support.

 

**“Rachel, you have to make a choice now. You can carry everyone out with a combination of airbending and super speed but the illusions will vanish or risk taking more time but the possibility of getting the monsters back in time for medical treatment is far less than ideal. Some will die at this rate.”**

 

I processed this carefully before responding, “Can we go for a little longer and then when we reach a specific point, switch?”

 

**“Yes, in fact, that’s our best bet.”**

 

So, we continued forward slowly. However, after ten minutes, one of the monsters collapsed.

 

“Shit! We can’t wait anymore!” I turned to everyone. “Okay, everyone stick together.”

 

“Rachel?”

 

I turned and saw the girls from the bar. “What’s going on?”

 

“I’m here to collect them. And for the record, I’m not actually human. I grew up hating humans for the very reason I stepped on the men here for. Humans are more like monster and monsters are more like humans. At least the majority are. There are humans who I am proud of, like you. Keep fighting, and know I’ll return if they are cruel. But if they are, go to Frisk so they can contact me.”

 

They nodded. “Good luck,” Bonnie whispered.

 

I grinned. “Thanks!” And the illusion broke, confusing the humans until they started putting things together.

 

“We gotta go! Stay strong, my fellow women! You are  **not**  weak!”

 

With that, we were flying around corners, down hallways, up flights stairs, and out into the open. However, when we arrived, there were more humans waiting for us.

 

“You!” Jim cried. “Why would you betray your own kind?”

 

I snorted before blowing fire in his direction. “Because I’m not human! I hate humans like you who act like you can hurt others for being different!”

 

With a gust of wind, I sent them flying. “I am out of here!”

 

“No you’re not, wretched bitch!”

 

The council had arrived with their guards. I evaded attack after attack as I swerved with the monsters around them. But they were persistent and followed. I sent several more gusts of wind to get as much distance between us and the aggressive humans as possible. But soon, my energy was dwindling.

 

“You have been actively using magic for over twelve hours. At the level of training you are at, you can’t keep it up.”

 

“Damn it! I won’t fail!”

 

“No, I doubt you’ll fail!”

 

“What?”

 

Sans and his team are approaching!

 

I turned and saw it in the distance. A weird contraption was rolling towards us, and I smiled as I recognized the purple paint job on the front, with the Delta Rune symbol on the front.

 

A familiar figure poked their head out. I waved at them and they waved shortly back before disappearing in a flash of blue. A moment later, they were directly in front of me.

 

“so, you actually managed to pull it off?” Sans stated calmly as he helped me up.

 

“Yeah, I told you.”

 

“yeah, yeah, let me get these idiots off ya!”

 

Upon seeing the real Sans, everyone balked. “I am not falling for your tricks again! I don’t care if that girl is your lover! You already fooled us once with your tricks!” Oh shit, no!

 

“what?” He glanced at me. I waved him off.

 

With a huff, he turned back. “not sure what kind of trick she pulled…”

 

“It was an illusion…”

 

“oh, i see. wait, you made an illusion of me?”

 

“Yes…” I mumbled shyly.

 

“we’re gonna have a talk when we get back. understand?”

 

“Kay…”

 

Satisfied, Sans turned back to the crowd as they converged on him. However, with a flick of his wrist, everyone was knocked back by bones. With a snap of his fingers, his Gaster Blasters appeared. Knowing this was no illusion, the people fled, some getting scorched by the Blasters, but none fatally wounded.

 

“Sans, enough! These guys don’t have much time!”

 

“fine. i’ll teleport us all back.”

 

“What?”

 

The tank-like contraption had pulled up beside us and monsters had come out to help bring their rescued brethren inside.

 

“hop in. we’re leaving.”

 

I obeyed, jumping in as the rescued monsters were secured. Sans followed and came to the control panel. Typing in coordinates, he pulled up the location. Some like one of those military handprint screens that were there to record employee’s DNA popped up and Sans placed his hand on it, activating his teleportation magic a moment later. A ding sounded and the monsters started piling out.

 

“after you.” He gestured, locking gazes with me.

 

I didn’t speak as I walked out to the sight of a large garage of sorts. Alphys had immediately started tending to the rescued monsters and Undyne was helping as well as the rest of the guard.

 

When the fish warrior caught sight of me, she bolted in my direction and punched my shoulder.

 

“OW! FUCK YOU, UNDYNE!”

 

“Shut up, punk!” She lifted me up and crushed me in a hug. “I can’t believe you did it!”

 

I grinned. “See, now don’t you wish you had listened to me in the first place?”

 

“yeah. yeah, i did.”

 

I turned to Sans and grinned cautiously. “Am I still in trouble?”

 

“for running away, no. but for whatever the hell happened that made them think i am your lover…hooooooooooo, you are in heaps of trouble for that!”

 

The fangirls squeaked, immediately going into whispers as I tried to explain.

 

“Well…y’see, I had to make the supposed attack realistic! I mean, why would you come and attack if not...I just thought…” He didn’t look convinced. I growled. “Let me dream, damn it!”

 

I paid no mind to the laughter of the grounded fangirls. The expression on Sans face was far more interesting. Even wearing the beautiful royal purple,  _blue_  was a far better color for the skeleton.

 

Thankfully for him, the blue that had covered most of his face clashed wonderfully with the purple of the hoodie he had started to wear when he became the king. Even better was when the hood went up to mask his embarrassment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your favorite smell?**
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> Yes, I know it's random.


	24. EVEN WHEN LIFE IMPROVES, THE SHIT JUST WON’T STOP HITTING THE FAN OF FATE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The captured monsters are back and recovering. But what happens when a new problem arises? And how will a specific individual take it?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this a bit early because last week and this past Wednesday, I was late on Ao3. DA post will still be a 2pm, but since I'll be at a place with bad wifi, I'm gonna post now. Enjoy!

Neither Asgore nor Toriel had awoken yet. Sans saw to them and the other monsters’ care immediately. Those who were better off were the last to be checked. It seemed like Asgore and Toriel were the worst off.

 

Sans spent each day working near the former royals, hoping to be in their presence when they finally woke up. His patient commitment was rewarded two weeks later when they finally stirred.

 

“tori? asgore?”

 

The two couldn’t speak initially, but with the help from numerous glasses of water, they began to recover.

 

“Sans?” Tori whispered tiredly. “Amazing…so it’s true that you were chosen to lead.”

 

“yeah…it sucks.”

 

“I’m sorry, dear. But keep it up and we can help you.”

 

“what?” There was silence. A heavy silence that had everyone staring at the skeleton. “but…you’ll be taking the throne back, right?”

 

“No, Sans.” Asgore replied gruffly. “Unfortunately, we cannot return to power. The status has left us and has gone to you. Only you have the power to rule over monsters now.”

 

With a loud crack, the portable desk splintered and went flying, papers scattering everywhere.

Everything was still as all eyes watched Sans’ every movement. Tears had begun pouring down his cheeks, rimming from empty sockets.

 

**“n o.”** He growled terrifyingly as he left the room. **“f u c k  i t. i  a m  d o n e.”**

 

He teleported out and a crash was heard somewhere outside the room signaling that he had started to unleash his bottled up fury.

 

No one moved, spoke…or anything. It felt like the whole room was still, everyone holding their breath as the crashes continued in the distance.

 

Dogaressa flinched, a sad whine escaping her, and it broke whatever spell was keeping the room still.

 

“What should we do?” She asked.

 

“I’m not sure.” Undyne replied.

 

I hummed sadly.

 

“What would you do, Rachel?” The fish asked.

 

I looked up at her and then at everyone else as their eyes found mine. I understood the reason, but still asked, “Why are you asking me?”

 

“You are why we have gotten this far.” The captain explained seriously. “I don’t doubt that you have the answer to how to help. I’m sorry we keep turning to you, but…what else can we do?”

 

To be needed, to be important, to have a role that only I could do was something I wanted my entire life. So, hearing one of the brashest individuals imply that I am the one making such a huge difference…it made me happy, despite the circumstances. But given the circumstances, I was determined.

 

I shook my head, coming back to the moment, and looked down thoughtfully. After another series of crashes, my future vision took over and the image of Sans being consumed by his magic filled my vision. Then he was looking up at me, crying out. With each image after, the answer became clearer and clearer until the power deactivated.

 

I chuckled shortly. “You’re right. I do have the answer. But it will take a while, and with his rage, I’m worried about my emotional stability if he uses it on me.”

 

“Don’t be afraid, pup. You have helped him so much since you came here. In a way, I think that is the only thing stopping him from hurting you. If any of us try to help him now, it will only get worse. But you’re different and that might be what he needs.”

 

I stepped up to her, smiling gratefully. “Thanks dog-mama, I needed that!” I hugged her, nuzzling into her fur appreciatively. She held me close until another crash echoed around the castle.

 

“Go!” I nodded in reply and raced towards the noise.

 

The door didn’t need to be forced open that much. It was crooked and, upon closer inspection, the hinges were broken. Peering into the room, I was greeted with disaster, and Sans standing in the center of it. The blue flames were intensely flaring up the side of his skull and his teeth were grinding together, one fanged canine visible from where I stood. His fists and shoulders shook, the latter angled up as he hunched over.

 

“Sans?” I called softly.

 

He whipped around, roaring loudly, the pressure he had created from his emotions alone hitting me hard and knocking me back.

 

“Shit! Sans, calm down! It’s me! Rachel! Can…can I come in?”

 

**“N O!”** He looked so uncertain.

 

“Please…I’m not going to do anything…except give you a hug. You don’t have to work, and you don’t have to say, or do anything…I just want to help you. I understand how absolutely pissed off and full of pain you are. Just please let me in…”

 

With much hesitation, I walked forward, judging his expression so that if I went to fast, I could stop. But with every word, the anger seemed to melt and was replaced by sorrow and desperation. When I was directly in front of him, he fell forward and I caught him.

 

The tears fell, and all I could do was hold him and whisper softly as he sobbed. He had been hoping that this job would end if the former royals returned. To have that hope destroyed, after everything else that had happened, it was a surprise he hadn’t broken down sooner. The only reason he wasn’t losing the last of his sanity was probably because he had someone to help him who had felt much like he did now more than once in the past.

 

“It’s gonna be okay.” I soothed him as the exhaustion took over. “We’ll work through this together.”

 

The others got the message to leave us be until I gave them the okay. I got him over to my room where everything was intact. He didn’t let go the entire time, but then…neither did I.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Are there any other skeleton characters you like? Who are they?**
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> If you're reading this story, you've got to like at least one, so 'other' is accurate. XP


	25. WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, BECOME A CLINGY SHUT-IN!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Following the events of last chapter, Sans is a mess. Rachel is there for him, but can she help him recover?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **IMPORTANT UPDATES:**
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> **I'm so sorry: My chapters got messed up, and DA is only getting chapter 24 as of the 8th while Ao3 got it the third as was scheduled. Ugh! But thankfully, it's okay because of another change!**
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> **NEW UPLOAD DAYS: Because my schedule is now very chaotic and too much is happening and I just...things are hard, Saturday and Sunday are the new upload days. I'm so, so, so sorry about this! I just can't do it any differently right now.**

For the next couple of weeks, Sans did not stray away from me. He didn’t speak, didn’t respond unless it was to attack anyone who tried to help, and didn’t allow a single bit of distance between us.

 

When the first night came around, and I was sure that Sans was asleep or asleep enough, I sent a piece of paper on a current of air. The paper had my number to communicate with me so that the other monsters and I could keep each other informed. Once I received the first message, I immediately messaged back ‘meals in bed’.

 

So, while Sans was…in a funk, he would not leave my room or let me leave my room. He would not let me get up or move without clinging to me. For a few days, I couldn’t take a shower because of this. But after five days of no showers, I didn’t care if he saw.

 

“Sans, I’m going to get clean. I’m going to be naked, so I want to give you the chance to let me do this alone. And you can bathe after.”

 

He shook his head, the tears budding. I sighed and held him, mumbling softly that it was okay. A compromise was made, and we both showered in minor layers. My suspicions were confirmed; he had a  _blue gut_  keeping his body together. Without the hoodie, and with water plastering the shirt against him, the shape was too recognizable. As I helped him bathe, because he wouldn’t do it himself, I got a better look.

 

When we were both clean, changing was hard. It took a lot of maneuvering and being careful, but I managed to get us both dressed. Thankfully, someone had dropped off a change of clothes for him, too. And as I requested, meals were left outside and received after a minute or so, that whoever brought them could leave beside the door as to not make Sans upset.

 

He never ate much, always opting for either liquids or the easiest things to chew. When his first depression started, I didn’t push. I let him have what he wanted. But as a week passed, I was getting worried. Eventually, after having small one-sided conversations, I got an answer out of him. It started on the morning ten days since it began.

 

“Hey lazy bones!” I whispered soothingly as his eyelids fluttered a bit. He made no response, but the lights – now specks of light with little emotion to them – met my gaze. When recognition flickered into his gaze, like every morning before, a small sob left him and he nuzzled closed.

 

“Oh, c’mon…don’t cry.” I held onto him, coaxing him. It was worrisome; with everything I knew about the fandom, including all the fanfiction I had read and after watching comic dubs and other videos on YouTube, I still had no idea what to do. The visions were vague; be his anchor and coax him out of his sadness, was all I got.

 

THANKS, MOM!

 

With all that I had read and seen, I had never encountered a version of Sans quite like this. Was it this world? Was it his history that was different? What could I do to help? I could only think of one thing, but the possibility of it working was…unknown.

 

“Sans, can you tell me what you are thinking and what you are feeling? I can’t do much except hold onto you until I know more of what is going on. Once I know, I think helping you will be easier.”

 

He studied me. His silence and his gaze a symbol of uncertainty, as though he wasn’t sure if I could be trusted.

 

“Haven’t I proven that you can trust me? I’m not going to use anything you say against you. It’s not in my nature to do that to someone I care about.”

 

His eyes widened and he shifted, burrowing his head under my chin and fisting my shirt as he pushed us both to a lied down position.

 

“…” I remained patient as he made several noises, like he was trying to speak or figure out what to say.  
  


“i…thought it was over,” he croaked out. He then followed with a loud sob, and I held him against me, hands working at the tension in his shoulders.

 

“th-they were supposed to take…i wasn’t supposed to…it’s not fair!” Coming from anyone else, I would have laughed and told them they sounded like a child. But given the circumstances and looking down at the truly defeated expression on his face, all I felt was the intense desire to save him from this pain.

 

“I know. Life is full of twists and turns, some of which will lead you in a direction that is…well, it will hurt more than anything. But, in this scenario, there is a silver lining.”

 

“huh?” The curious expression, with thin tear streaks and airbrush-like patches of blue across his cheeks and around his nasal cavity, accompanied by enlarged sockets and brighter eye-lights, filled my heart with even more adoration as I nuzzled the top of his head.

 

“With Toriel and Asgore back, they can probably teach you different ways to get through the work faster. Asgore had a garden that he constantly tended and Toriel bakes a lot, so they must have some methods to deal with all the work. Even if you have to stay in charge, you can order them to help you as a council or assistants. Whichever works so that you don’t have to work as much and have your time off. Since you’re the king now, they can’t refuse an order like that. Right?”

 

The longer he processed, the more he reverted to his normal self. And with his recovery, came the Sans I had hoped for all this time. He was coming back slowly but surely and soon enough, the grin that was almost exactly like the one I had seen when I first got into Undertale was present on his face.

 

He laughed, albeit shakily, and pulled me into an embrace that I welcomed. “thank you…thank you…”

 

I hummed happily. “No problem. You’re welcome. I’m glad I could help.”

 

He held me closer as he whispered, “sorry for putting this on you and getting in your space. i’m not usually like this.”

 

“Pff, I know! I kinda wish you were more often.” I coughed to disguise the choking as I realized the implications of what I just said. “But, it’s understandable.” I continued, ignoring his shocked expression. “You were so hopeful that you could step down. And I truly believe that having Asgore and Toriel work with you is your best bet at feeling better. Your job could literally be just making final decisions and signing things or whatever.”

 

He chuckled. “yeah…okay.”

 

He leaned back, blushing intensely. He wouldn’t meet my gaze.

 

“What’s wrong?”

 

His blush intensified. “uh…i’m scared to meet with the others. i have to apologize and…i don’t want them to be mad.”

 

I snorted. “Sans, they aren’t mad. They understand where you’re coming from. They sent me because I’ve been through something similar before many times and because I have had, if not all, then a lot of answers to the problems.

 

“In Undertale, you knew about the Resets. But here, that never happened. You never had to build up a façade to hide your pain, so when your hopes were destroyed…it made sense. No one who knows you blames you for your actions. They are far more concerned with your health, both emotionally and physically. They worry! All of us have been, but since I have suffered with depression most of my life, I’m equipped to handle it.”

 

He nodded, head down. “you’re something else.”

 

“Is that a good thing?”

 

His smile was crooked, the blush spreading to the rest of his skull.

 

“What is your dealio?” I laughed. “Did I do something weird?”

 

“just remembering…stuff.”

 

“What kind of stuff?”

 

He lifted his head, looking up at the ceiling. More headcannons confirmed; his jaw did not have an opening like a human skeleton – the only opening in his skull were his eyes, nose, and mouth.

 

“you’ll be pissed if i tell you.”

 

“Oh dear,” I huffed a laugh. “What did you do?”

 

He snapped his gaze to me and fearfully waved his hands in surrender, “i didn’t do it! it was undyne and alphys! i just found it!”

 

I narrowed my eyes as I stared off into space thoughtfully. I tried to remember any suspicious activity they…oh no!

 

“My computer!”

 

His ashamed expression was all the answer I needed.

 

“What did they do?” I asked slowly, keeping my voice monotone because he was right that he didn’t do anything.

 

“they copied all of your computer data, including the access to your world. and during the time you were napping, alph gave it to me, and…you were right! ugh, now i know how you know about my…” He covered his face in shame.

 

My eyes flashed red briefly before reverting to blue again. “Don’t worry. You’re not in trouble. But please, avoid everything to do with NSFW, smut, ecto…anything, ghost-dick, and mature or explicit content. Like Undertail, spelled Under T-A-I-L.”

 

“i read your stuff. who is raven? is she supposed to be you?”

 

“God damnit, Sans!” I breathed to calm myself. “Yes, she’s supposed to be a version of me. I would never succeed as a lawyer cuz…it’s just not me. Fuck! How much did you read?”

 

“all of it.”

 

“Sans…”

 

“…yeah?”

 

“Don’t do that anymore.”

 

“sorry.” His mouth twitched, almost like he was pleased but didn’t want to show it.

 

“Yeah, I can tell you are. Don’t worry! I’ll handle the fangirls! It doesn’t matter which world! Those two are fangirls forever, but this time…they’re gonna regret their meddling!” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you have a job, what is it?**


	26. AS TOLD BY UNCLE BEN, WITH GREAT POWER COMES GREAT RESPONSIBILITY!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel uses a famous line from a superhero movie to help Sans understand what he needs to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This wrote itself. It was not part of my notes. I just...felt it. ^^; That happens, right?

Sans didn’t immediately bounce back. After all, since he left the others with a ferocious temper tantrum, he was really embarrassed. But after I relayed his worry to the others and was assured through text that they understood and didn’t hold it against him, progress was finally made.

 

Sans made a speech on my computer so that he wouldn’t have to think of something off the top of his head, and I proofread it so it sounded thoughtful and was free of negative comment directed at the former monarchs.

 

“i don’t understand why i can’t say that.”

 

“If you think about it, it isn’t their fault. According to them, the magic essence within the monarch is special. And it can only be transferred to another in three cases – a life partner, an heir, or, if something happens to the monarchy, the best candidate to take over. As I was told, Undyne might have been chosen if Papyrus had been available to take on her role, but he wasn’t. You were chosen because as the Judge of Monsters, you can balance that with kingship, since a king can judge if necessary.”

 

“but is there some way that someone else can take it from me?”

 

“I don’t think anyone can without someone…kidnapping or killing you. We don’t want either. So, for the time being, you have full control and with that, you can order Asgore and Toriel to help you, as well as anyone else you’d like. They even said they’d be willing to help.”

 

“yeah, i’m gonna basically order them to do it all.” He tossed out.

 

“I don’t think that will work.” I chuckled.

 

“why the fuck not?” He cried.

 

“With great power comes great responsibility.” I quoted.

 

“who the fuck said that? tell me so i can punch them.”  _Daaaaaamn!_

 

I snickered. “Spiderman’s Uncle Ben, who unfortunately passed away after being murdered and the whole story behind that is fucked up, but...”

 

The deadpanned expression on Sans’ face broke me as I snorted loudly, the sound morphing as I began guffawing.

 

“what the hell is a spider man?”

 

“N-n-ot wh-what! Wh-who!” I couldn’t say anything else as I fell over giggling uncontrollably.

 

“are you okay?” he asked, peering down at me.

 

“You…should have seen…” I snorted again. “…the look…on your FACE!” I coughed roughly, the lack of air getting to me.

 

“whoa, do you need help?”

 

“I’m fine.” Finally calming down, I grinned up at him. “Believe it or not, I’m used to uncontrollable laughter like that. It’s the one uncontrollable part about me that I enjoy, even if it’s painful. It’s worth it!”

 

“why…?”

 

“Because even if it’s painful, it still means I’m having a good time and still feels good. I would rather bust my gut laughing, coughing and all of that than have someone stop me because I’m loud or they worry. It feels better than most of the stuff I have experienced. I want to be happy, so even if it looks painful, if I’m still smiling, don’t stop me. If I look like I’m dying, then you can help me.” I made a face to help him understand.

 

“okay, i getcha.”

 

“Anyways, Uncle Ben is a character from Marvel Comic’s Spiderman. Marvel and DC are both comic companies that have turned comics about superheroes into movies. Spider Man is a comic that was made into a few movies, having been rebooted. It is about a teen, I think, named Peter Parker who lives in the well-known New York City, where the buildings are really tall. One day, he was bitten by a radioactive spider that gave him spider-like powers like webbing that he could use to attach to buildings and stuff to swing across gaps to get to bad guys.

 

“The story begins with Peter living with his aunt and uncle. But after getting his powers, he got cocky and entered a tournament. He won, but the guy didn’t pay him the full amount owed, so when a robber came in and forced him to give the money by threatening to shoot him, Peter did nothing out of revenge to the guy being threatened. But when the robber left, he confronted Peter’s uncle for his car, I think, and when his uncle didn’t back down, he shot him. Peter got to him right before he died. Earlier, his uncle had said the famous quote that most associate with Spiderman, ‘with great power comes great responsibility’. I’d like to think that after Ben died, Peter took it to heart and changed to honor his uncle.”

 

Wow, way to leave on a sour note. Good job, me!

 

“why would something so sad happen?”

 

“For drama, and for teaching, I guess. But I guess the reason I am telling you this is so that you don’t make the same mistake Peter made. You have worked so hard to make up for the loss of Asgore and Toriel being taken. Yes, your hope was that they would take over when they returned. You could always order them to do so, but I still think you should remain in command since you have the power to protect everyone and it is your responsibility to do so now. You aren’t alone, and no one expects perfection from you. Asking for help is okay, but forcing other to do the job given to you out of spite might have similar consequences to what happened in the first Spider Man.”

 

His eyes flickered and it seemed that his thoughts drifted to Papyrus.

 

“i won’t let that happen again.” Analysis confirmed.

 

I smiled softly. “Then it’s time to return to the others and find a solution to how we will move forward, **together**.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Who is your favorite superhero?**


	27. THAT MOMENT WHEN YOUR WISH COMES TRUE…BUT YOU GOTTA KEEP IT A SECRET!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans is back, but things have definitely changed. And by changed, ...oh, what's that lovely aroma?
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> .............could it be romance?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lol, it's starting to get good.
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> This is a slow burn, right? Did I mess up? Slowish, at least.

“…and so, moving forward, i hope to have the full cooperation of everyone in this kingdom.”

 

Sans had just finished reading his apology speech and looked up from my phone, where I had sent the document so he could read easier. Handing the device back to me, he waited in earnest.

 

The room was packed with all the monsters who worked there and all of them had been silence as he read through the speech. But with the speech completed, not even five seconds went by before the room was filled with applause.

 

During the applause, someone started a mantra of  _“SANS’ BACK!”_  Soon, everyone was chanting and the poor skeleton turned blue and hid his skull within his hood. The mantra soon faded and Undyne declared a party to celebrate.

 

“no…no parties.”

 

“It’s not just about you, nerd! It’s a joint celebration. But if you really feel that way, this is  _only_  a celebration of our rescued sisters and brothers’ successful recovery.”

 

“fine.” Sans’ replied flatly. “but after this is over, we need to talk about some changes being made.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, mister grumpy-pants! Just enjoy yourself!” Her already menacing grin widened mirthfully.

 

“And speaking of enjoying yourself…what did you and that punk get up to while you were left alone, together?”

 

Oh my god! “Fuck you, Undyne!” I retorted. “I have a bone to pick with you!” My eyes flashed red as I punched her hard in the shoulder.

 

“What the hell, punk? What I do?” She rubbed the now sore spot.

 

“You…and Alphys are gonna regret stealing from my computer. I know your stupid anniversary shit was a ruse, but Sans confirmed my suspicions.”

 

“I…I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about.” Wow, very convincing.

 

“Hmm, I guess I’ll be having  _tuna_ for dinner tomorrow night. When morning comes, you’ll be on your way to be  _sleeping with the fishes_.”

 

Between the star-filled eye sockets and boney clapping and droopy fins and slackened piranha jaws, I was extremely proud of myself.

 

“What the fuck, punk?”

 

“To put it into terms your mind can understand, I’m gonna whoop your ass so hard you won’t be able to sit or touch anything without cringing for a month.”

 

She glared. “You think you can harm me, bitch?”

 

“What do I get if I can?”

 

“I will do your bidding for a day!”

 

“Mmmmmnope, Alphys isn’t getting off after this. If I win, you both are gonna pay.”

 

“Leave my girl out of this!” The warrior growled.

 

“It doesn’t have to be a painful punishment like I plan to do to you. It can be something more up her alley. Like building something or whatever…plus, I need to embarrass her. Not so much that I break her, though.”

 

“oooh, what do you have in mind?”

 

“I was thinking a special battle suit. I have had this design in my head for so long, and I wonder if she can make it with enhancements.”

 

“My girl can make anything!” Undyne boasted proudly.

 

“Sure, but while she makes me a battle suit from my design, I intend to make you both suffer. While you might do whatever I ask you to do, I want to make her so red, she might faint, and then she will regret messing with my stuff. Psychological terror is the best kind of payback, bitch!”

 

Undyne looked truly terrified. In the silence that followed, the three of us noticed the room was quiet, all eyes on us. I grinned cheekily.

 

“So, what do you say,  _Captain_? We’ll spar tomorrow and whoever wins has to do the others’ bidding for the day.”

 

“No, I’ll do your bidding if you win. But your punishment needs to be different– GAAAAAAAH!”

 

I looked down at the fish warrior whom I had just pinned down with little effort.

 

“Focus more on your strategy and less on what you want out of me. Unless you have a plan, you have no chance against me. I spent five months using astral projection and learning under my Mother and Soul who are attuned to the perfect way of teaching me specifically, so kicking my ass will not be easy. I still have a lot to learn, but I’ve been cultivating other techniques for years so even if my fighting and magic skills aren’t perfect, I still have the advantage over you. How I think is my best defense, so I hope you have been taking notes when you watch me fight. If not, come tomorrow, you will understand what I mean!”

 

I grinned, walking over to a cooked fish that no one had touched yet. Picking the entire thing up, I turned back to the fish captain and grinned before chomping down on the actual fish in my hand, ripping through it with ease and maintaining eye contact as I munched on it. After I swallowed, I spit out some bones and stepped on them.

 

To say Undyne was shaking in her boots would be an accurate assumption as her armor quaked. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

 

I licked my lips. “It’s been awhile since I had any fish. My mom cooked salmon so often, so I stopped enjoying it since it was a constant dinner meal. But since I have gone a while without eating any kind of fish, or sushi, and since I am geared up to pummel your ass tomorrow, well…” I sunk my teeth into it again.

 

_Why not demonstrate exactly what I plan to do to you? Fish is delicious, after all, and meat only tastes better after it’s pulverized._

 

With more bones on the floor to prove my point, I grinned, the fish’s juices dribbling down my chin. I lifted the remainder of the fish and tore it in half.

 

“You still want to challenge me? Or will you accept defeat?” I grinned maniacally, my eyes still red and with an added intentional twitch, I probably looked like a demon. “You’d be a pussy, but don’t worry…I doubt anyone will think less of you.”

 

She knew I knew that was wrong. Her title was earned through her determination to prove herself and asking her to admit defeat was like asking her to commit suicide. And she wouldn’t do that.

 

“I will see you tomorrow bright and early, bitch!” She snarled. “Be prepared for a rude awakening!”

 

I chuckled, licking my lips. “I can’t wait! It’s time to turn a shark into a minnow!” And with those parting words, I left the party, laughing madly the whole way out.

 

It was past midnight. I had returned to my room at nine and fallen asleep at ten. When the door creaked open and the sound of heavy breathing and clacking became loud enough, I had barely enough time to register the presence before they were curled around me, moaning.

 

“Uhhh…what?” I mumbled groggily.

 

“sorry…” A familiar voice moaned back.

 

“Sans?”

 

“please let me stay here…” He whimpered.

 

“Oh geez, what happened?”

 

“nightmare…”

 

“Hey, hey! It’s gonna be okay!”

 

“i’m staying here. that’s an order.”

 

I snorted. “I wasn’t gonna force you to leave. If you recall, I confirmed to having a thing for you.”

 

He shifted closer.

 

“Do you wanna talk about it?”

 

“not really.”

 

I sighed through my nose. “Can I touch you? Maybe rub your back or something to help you calm down?”

 

He nodded and I turned, wrapping my arms around him and making circles in his back. When the tension left and he began to relax against me, I moved to his skull, then his cheeks, and finally, neck and shoulders. By the time the tension was completely gone, he was fast asleep, a faint blue glow lighting his face.

 

“Is that mutual affection I smell?” I teased the sleeping skeleton, hoping he was truly out. The only response I got was the temporary brightening of the blue on his face and the increased proximity as he pulled me closer.

 

“I’ll take that as a likely yes!” And with those final words, I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Marvel or DC?**
> 
>  
> 
> Playing off the last chapter's QOTD. I just wanted to...idk.


	28. WINNING A DUEL REQUIRES STRATEGY, STRENGTH, KNOWING HOW TO PHYSICALLY AND EMOTIONALLY WRECK YOUR OPPONENT, AND BEING SEXY…ALL AT ONCE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel is geared up to fight Undyne in order to prove herself to Sans. With a lot of knowledge and training under her belt, as well as a few tricks up her sleeve, Rachel is confident. Will Undyne outsmart her regardless or will she prove to be a formidable foe...and therefore, a formidable ally to monsters?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hopefully this reads okay. The duel feels just a bit weird. Hope it's okay.

When I woke up the next morning, Sans was gone. It made me wonder if he was there to begin with or if I had just dreamed it, but after seeing the indentation his body had made despite it apparently lacking mass, I chuckled.

 

_Didn’t wanna get caught in bed with me, hmmmmmm?_

 

**“Don’t you have a duel with Undyne? Will you be okay?”**

 

I snorted. “If there is one thing I know about Undyne, it’s that her hot-headedness, her  _passion_ , and her love for Alphys will be her downfall against someone who knows how to use that information to their advantage. She doesn’t know much to use against me except my emotional shit, but that only works if I’m not prepared for it. So, all I need to do is ignore anything she throws at me, both physically and psychologically, and jab at her weak points.”

 

**“Rachel, she and Alphys have the data from your computer. She could use the info from there against you.”**

 

I hummed. “Well then, it’s time to have no shame again. Thanks for bringing that up!”

 

Soul sighed, but didn’t reply as I redressed in a black sports bra and undies, a gradient blue to turquoise tank top, black light-weight cargo pants, black ankle socks, and my shoes that matched the tank closely. Lastly, I pocketed a well-loved item, smirking mischievously.

 

Leaving my room, I walked into the dining hall and found it empty except for one plate. Grillby stood off to the side, as if waiting for me to arrive.

 

“The others are waiting for you in our former training ground. Hurry and eat so that the fight can be over sooner rather than later.” He sounded so irritated.

 

I grinned. “Thanks, Grillbz!”

 

His fire sparked a bit in surprise before going back to normal as he walked away silently. With him out of sight, I took my time eating, only finishing thirty minutes later when I felt that I had digested enough.

 

Walking casually, I made it to the place where the duel would take place way later than desired. And yes, it was spiteful. But the spite was directed at Undyne and Alphys since they were the ones in the wrong. So when everyone – audience and opponent – glowered and/or groaned at my tardiness, I shrugged.

 

“What the hell took you so long?” The aggravated fish all but shrieked.

 

“It is currently just after ten in the morning. So yes, it is the morning, and here I am.”

 

“You couldn’t have come faster?” She snarled.

 

“I chose not to since the way I see it, you fucking deserve it! Let this be a lesson that you mess with me, I will fuck you up hard!” Even my voice had taken on a demonic quality to show that I meant it. “Now then, you ready to face your punishment.”

 

“don’t you mean  _pun_ ishment?” I snorted, glancing at the cheeky little shit. Nearby, I caught Toriel giggling.

 

“Just for you, I will both punish and  _pun_ ish!” The silly clapping was all it took for my smile to brighten considerably. The rest of the crowd couldn’t decide whether to be irritated or terrified.

 

“okay, so by the law, i’ll oversee and call the winner. however, to keep it fair, there will be a panel of judges just in case. the combatants will be judge based off the fight alone, not involving any trash talking, word-play, or anything not related to the fight. fighters, be warned that any attacks that are intended to be fatal will be stopped and the one responsible will have an instant loss. this is not a death match. also, encounters are allowed, but it must be an open encounter so that we can judge. now, will you both of comply with these rules?”

 

“Duh, Sansy! I got dis!” I winked.

 

“additional rule! no flirting with any of the judges for extra points!” A blue-faced Sans announced as he tried to stay in control of the situation. “the judges are me, toriel, asgore, papyrus, and grillby!”

 

“Oh, trust me! That wasn’t me trying to flirt. If I was trying to flirt, you would know!” I wiggled my brows up and down, tongue waggling playfully. “Don’t worry, though, I’ll keep it PG-13!”

 

“oh stars…” He coughed. “undyne, you understand?”

 

“Yes! Time to suplex this biotch!”

 

I turned by back on her and glanced over my shoulder, slapping my ass playfully, “Come and get it, Fish Bitch!”

 

With a chorus of laughter, a whistle was blown, and– the music began!

 

This time, with my willingness, Undyne pulled us into an encounter, and by the looks of it, an open encounter leaves the crowd completely black with white outlines. In addition, instead of Undyne’s theme song, Mystery Skull’s “[Ghost](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YlEb3L1PIco&index=1&list=PLpTivj8LjCUfIs5YK-r5odmh_5DVIsSfE)” began to play.

 

This couldn’t be easier! And as the intro played, I knew this would be simple enough. Undyne looked furious as I tapped to the beat. I even let my head bob like the characters in the YouTube video. And with the start of the song, I made sure not to give her enough time to recover.

 

_(Uh)_

And with that, I moved-

_'Cause the world might do me in_

I catapulted forward, airborne as the distance between Undyne and I became smaller.

_It's alright 'cause I'm with friends_

Creating a fire show around me and pretending the fire was my army – or friends, just to impress Grillby. Not sure if it worked.

_Guess I'm giving up again_

Landing in front of the fish.

_It doesn't matter_

Just in time to rocket away.

_(Ooh ooh ooh)_

Hitting her in the jaw as I went.

 

“Did that hurt, I hope it did!” I giggled.

 

_Had me feeling like a ghost_

Shooting up, I blipped through the air, using my increased speed and invisibility to look transparent.

_And that's what I hate the most_

I came up behind her, grabbing her ponytail and tugging harshly.

_Guess I'm giving up again_

She didn’t like that, but I dodged her strike.

_This time_

And the next.

_(This time)_

And one more strike.

_(This time)_

Before sliding away, guiding the wind around for effect because I’m nothing if not dramatic as hell.

 

“You ready to feel the pain, ya fool?” I jeered.

 

_This time I might just disappear_

I turned fully invisible briefly.

_Ah yeah_

Blipping on one side.

_(Uh)_

And then the other.

_(Woah Oooh oh oh)_

Landing and creating a tremor that knocked her off balance.

 

“Down she goes!” I called.

 

_This time I might just dis-_

I pulled up close.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

And punched her in midsection in time with the beat.

_AH YEAH_

Kicking up, knocking her head back so she couldn’t retaliate.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, oooh)_

And punching in time with the beat again.

 

“How do you like me now?!” I demanded.

 

_This time I might just disappear_

Unfortunately, she recovered too fast, so I had to improvise, blocking her punches and any strike from her spear.

_(Uh)_

I went down fast, tripping her.

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

Before catapulting backwards.

 

_This time I might just dis-_

I sent fierce gusts of air, tipping her this way and that.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

On the first beat, I created another tremor to keep her off balance. But after, it was all air knocking her around.

_AH YEAH_

An entire wave knocked her back.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah)_

A combination of fire and air descended on the fish, and I consciously made sure that the latter made the most of the attack so it wouldn’t hurt too much. YOUR WELCOME, SANS!

 

“Oh man, is it  _hot_ in here, or is it just  _me_?” I smirked.

 

_(Uh)_

I dodged her spear.

_Try and hear me, then I'm done_

I flipped and landed, deflecting her conjured spears with pressurized air.

_'Cause I might just say this once_

Dislodged the earth around me enough.

_Seen this play out in my dream_

Sent one small rock after another.

_It doesn't matter_

Until she was forced to lift her hands and shield herself, making her blind.

_(Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm)_

Advanced towards her as fast as possible.

 

“Comin’ atcha now, Fish Bitch!”

 

_Tired of giving up the ghost_

Jabbed in specific places to weaken her stance.

_Fuck, it's you I hate the most_

Lifted her up, and tossed her.

_Maybe there's no guarantee_

Didn’t let her get back up as I used the wind to lift her and trap her inside.

_It doesn't matter_

Cut her off from oxygen just enough to make her light headed.

_(Uuh)_

And right before I was called out, she dropped.

 

_This time I might just disappear_

With my opponent barely conscious, I created a whirlwind around her.

_Ah yeah_

So when she recovered.

_(Uh)_

I could slam her back down with ease.

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

And she couldn’t do a damn thing about it.

 

“Not today, mothah- _flipper_!” Laughter! Score!

 

_This time I might just dis-_

As she stood up, the air shot inward, knocking into her roughly.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

And multiple shots followed, drawing many grunts that were in time with the beat.

_AH YEAH_

The last air shot hit under her jaw, knocking her back.

_(Mo mo mo mo mo, oooh)_

With my opponent unconscious, I decided to just dance the rest of the song.

 

_This time I might just disappear_

I twirled, shaking my hips.

_(Uh)_

Sassy pose, chest bouncing once because it’s big and I’m proud of it.

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

Showing off my control over my abdominal muscles, shaking my hips this way and that without my shoulders and up moving.

 

_This time I might just dis-_

Sliding this way and that, showing off my funky moves.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

In complete control and totally showing off and going overboard.

_AH YEAH_

Because I have no shame and I am gonna prove it.

_(Mo mo mo mo mo)_

Besides, I’ll be damned if I let the song go unfinished just because I won.

 

_This time I might just disappear_

Acrobatics time!

_(Uh)_

Strike a sexy pose!

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

Shake dem hips, aww yeah!

_This time I might just dis-_

Twist this way and that, locking eyes with various monsters.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

Showcase as much sass while maintaining sex appeal.

_Ah yeah_

I’m pretty sure a few monsters were looking away.

_(Mo mo mo mo mo, oooh)_

I guess I’m too hot to handle. I made sure to apply some flames as I demonstrated the sexy ‘fingers crawling up my body all sexy-like’ move.

 

_This time I might just disappear_

I jumped, flipping through the air.

_(Uh)_

Perfect landing.

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

Oh shit, I’m pretty sure that’s an Elvis Presley move. Damn it!

_This time I might just dis-_

Keep going, it’s fine!

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

Yes, I didn’t falter. Even though I’m exhausted now!

_Ah yeah_

Damn, working those hips!

_(Mo mo mo mo mo, oooh)_

Just like that! You can do it!

 

_This time I might just disappear_

Okay, only a bit more!

_Ah yeah_

Strike a pose and wink.

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

Turn towards a different part of the crowd.

 

_This time I might just dis-_

And backhand Undyne as she tries to get up and sneak attack me.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

Oh no you don’t, biotch!

_Ah yeah_

Flip my hair!

_(Mo mo mo mo mo, oooh)_

Twerk it!

 

_This time I might just disappear_

Blip out, blip in!

_(Uh)_

Backwards body roll, finish with perky breasts!

_(Woah oooh oh oh)_

Twirl and jump into a flip.

 

_This time I might just dis-_

Almost there, land gracefully.

_(Mo mo mo mo moah, mo mo mo mo moah)_

Different pose every beat!

_AH YEAH_

Shake hips left, shake hips right.

_(Mo mo mo mo mo)_

With this, I’m done. I grin victoriously as I strike a pose, the music begin to fade out.

 

“I spare you.” I told the unconscious Undyne. With that, the encounter was over and the colors faded back to reveal a stunned audience full of blushing monsters.

 

“Well, I didn’t kill her and I was pretty careful. And yes, that is how I normally dance. Blame the world I come from! They…have issues.” I stuck my tongue out.

 

Toriel was the first to break the silence, coughing into her paw. “W-well, I guess we should discuss!”

 

“RACHEL DESTROYED THE CAPTAIN!” For someone who looked up to Undyne, Papyrus’ enthusiasm was shocking. Oh my!

 

“I think it’s safe to say that Rachel came out on top in so many ways.” Grillby affirmed.

 

“I agree.” Asgore nodded, and then added, “You have shown a great amount of talent. My only suggestion is that you tone it down a bit.”

 

I snorted once and then giggled in mild embarrassment, playing with my hair. “Yeah, sorry! I’ll work on that!”

 

The goat monster smile, turning to his successor. “Sans?”

 

Sans was trembling. “y-y-yeah, what th-they s-s-s-said. shit!” He tore off, back inside, his hood concealing his face. He remembered he could teleport after he was almost inside and did so.

 

“Oh my,” I dropped my voice to imitate the comedian George Tekai. “I think I broke him.” I added in a high pitched goofy voice that sounded a bit like Gabriel Iglesias’ highest pitched voice. Pairing it with the deep sexiness of George’s famous line was too hilarious, and I got the intended result as my audience broke down into all forms of laughter.

 

“I did good?” I tried to imitate Peter Griffin from Family Guy, but it sounded wrong. But it was dumb enough, and adding a silly bout of clapping made it work. “I did good!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD 1: What is your favorite Holiday?**
> 
>  
> 
>  **QOTD 2: For the Pokemon fans out there...Ultra Sun or Ultra Moon?**  
>  RTNightmare: Moon, always!


	29. YOU’VE BEEN CAUGHT, BLUE-FACED AND YELLOW-HANDED!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel overhears an interesting conversation. However, Undyne doesn't have a clue. Will the discussion be resolved or will there be awkward tension?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still a slow burn, right? Slow-ish?

After the duel, we all traversed back inside for an early lunch. The monsters had eaten early since they assumed the duel would be early, and I didn’t mind because after the duel, I was famished.

 

When I was finished, I went in search of Sans since I needed his help in making sure Undyne kept to the deal and make it official. After searching all the usual places, which was really the throne room and my room, I used my extra senses to track him down. Finding the regal Soul took no time at all, but I was surprised to find a special visitor keeping the skeleton company in his bedroom.

 

Coming towards the door, I listened carefully.

 

“look, just…i know you’re a monster, but you’ve been around humans alot. so if this thing is actually mutual, and i’m not going crazy, and she actually…just tell me if you think it will work!”

 

“Sans,” the calm voice of Petals replied. “I know she cares about you immensely. She wouldn’t do all she did if she didn’t. She wears a lot of her emotions on her sleeve, if you hadn’t noticed. I wouldn’t use this old…tactic to help you make a decision.”

 

“i am asking a flower for advice. a flower who betrayed monster-kind by freeing our worst enemies. so i’m also gonna do this because–”

 

“You are doing it to send me the message ‘mess with me and I’ll rip your petals off instead’.”

 

“good, glad we’re on the same page.”

 

He took a deep breath and with the door nudged just enough to be unnoticeable and providing enough visibility to watch, I could clearly see Sans with a buttercup in his, Petals on the desk beside him. I swore if that was a Flowey from another AU…

 

“tell her. don’t tell her. tell her. don’t tell her…” Oh! Oh my! Sans went through each petal, repeating the mantra over and over. However, before he could finish…

 

“Hey punk, what the hell are you doing?”

 

I shrieked, and for extra measure, punched the fish in the face. She snarled, backing away until she was against the opposite wall.

 

“Asshole! You ruined it!” I screeched. “Fuck you!” I kicked her shin hard before fleeing.

 

Returning to my room, I was surprised to find the skeleton I had been watching moments before standing by my bed, waiting for me. Awkward!

 

“I…”

 

“how much did you hear?”

 

“Enough.” I replied resignedly.

 

“oh.”

 

“I’m sorry. I was looking for you so that I could seal the deal with Undyne, but I couldn’t find you and then…”

 

“no, i get it.”

 

“Who were you talking about?”

 

His expression was halfway between incredulous and bewildered. “i…well…”

 

I fisted my hands and squared my shoulders. “Was it me?”

 

His face ignited, blue lighting up every inch of his bones.

 

“yes…i–”

 

I slumped, grinning with relief. “Thank goodness.”

 

“huh?”

 

“That gives me hope.”

 

“wait! the thing is…even if  _this_ ,” he gestured between us, “did become a thing, it would need to be a secret.”

 

“Why?” New info, Rachel. Pay attention!

 

“because as the king, i have a bunch of  _suitors_ ,” he spat, “and they would not take kindly to a human or human-resembling person trying to take the throne.”

 

“Oh,” I nodded. “Okay! I understand. If you wanna…try, I have no problems with it being secretive.”

 

He smiled, shyly adding, “sure.”

 

With that, we embraced, and I grinned like a schoolgirl as Sans nuzzled into my neck. "By the way, I challenge you to a duel." He chuckled, nodding.  
  
  
"sure. let me know when you want to do that." I squealed excitedly.   
  
  
However, we had to separate as the loud footsteps and shouting of a certain fish warrior got closer.

 

“Shit!” I whispered. “Teleport out of here and I’ll meet you at the throne room.”

 

He nodded and blipped out in a flash of blue. And just in time as seconds later, the door burst open.

 

“WHAT THE HELL IS YOUR PROBLEM?!”

 

“Try, I was trying to be sneaky and you fucked it up!”

 

“HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT?!”

 

“You dumb fish! If someone is listening at a door, what the fuck do you think they are doing? You read manga and anime and your sorry ass doesn’t know that?!”

 

“…what?”

 

“Please tell me that the anime and manga you watch and read has this! This is basic shit!”

 

“First of all, no! Because that’s stupid! And second, it’s pronounced maaaahn-ga, not man-ga!”

 

“First of all, yes, since if a person doesn’t want to be found out, they don’t open a door! And second, I will pronounce it how I want to! I am an English speaker, so I pronounce it like ‘mango’, but with an ‘uh’ at the end. I know it’s wrong, but I don’t care! So suck it!”

 

“You’re stupid!”

 

“Says the fish who got bitch-slapped and knocked out before a four-minute long song ended! I had time to do regular dancing while you were  _counting stars_! Tell me again…how am I stupid? I am aware of pronunciation, but I have my opinions because I’m allowed to. You say it how you want, and I will say it how I want! Now shut your face and get your ass to the throne room!”

 

“Why the fuck should I go there?”

 

“Because you lost that fight and therefore, I have something for you to sign.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If there was a brawl between all the AU Sanses, which one of them do you think would would win?**  
>  This is who you THINK would win, not who you WANT to win.


	30. I’M ON A HUNT TO FIND THE ANSWER, SO I’M GLAD I GOT AN EYE FOR DETAILS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With Rachel's victory, she is given a new position. And with that new position, and her unique magic skills, she starts to uncover a bigger plot that the Human Empire chairman is cooking up. But where will this plot lead and who else is involved?

“So, sign here, here, here, and here.”

 

The battle suit would be done very quickly since the parts to make it had to be assembled. But that still left the other part of the deal.

 

“Ugh!” The fish groaned. “What does this say?”

 

“You don’t really have a choice in the matter, Undyne, so you have no reason to ask.”

 

“but i do. what is this? it wasn’t in the first draft.” The draft that had been written the day before. He didn’t like some of the things in that. But to be frank, a lot of that was a joke.

 

I grinned at him. “That part of the contract states that in the future, the Royal Guard and King need to hear me out on any plans, among other things. With Undyne signing this, she is automatically obligated to hear me out, so long as Soul – my guardian and the one who is in charge of keeping me level-headed – tells her to do so. She also is obligated to follow my orders unless you state otherwise.”

 

“did you use that contest to forcefully rise through the ranks of this kingdom?”

 

“Oh, Sansy! I’m so glad you noticed!”

 

“What?!” Undyne shrieked, breaking the writing utensil after filling the last signature.

 

I grinned. “I used several tactics in beating you, some of which only came from knowing your personality. Others were spontaneous thinking, quick wit, and fast reflexes. So, I metaphorically killed two birds with one stone. Or, in other words, I tricked the system to raise my rank in the kingdom while proving that I have the knowledge that would put me there anyway. Knights can earn their ranks by doing specific deeds, can’t they?”

 

“well i’ll be damned, you are right. and in a way, you’ll be killing three birds with one stone.”

 

“Oh, I know.” I winked. “Glad you know the metaphor, though. I wasn’t sure if this world had different ones.”

 

He chuckled, turning back to the contract. “says here that you wish to act as my assistant of sorts, which would include taking on the role of judge if needed, a potential king’s guardsman in times of trouble, and…oh, i like this one.”

 

“What?” The captain was losing it.

 

“teaching us how humans think.”

 

“That’s another way of saying that I will ‘tell you how they think, but I also want to find a peaceful solution’.” I explained. “And I would like a certain monster’s assistance in that, so granting him full citizenship is necessary.”

 

Sans narrowed his eyes at me. “you’re talking about petals, aren’t you?”

 

“Indeed I am. He will have valuable information, and he did help me rescue the captured monsters.”

 

“fine, fine.”

 

I bowed and prepared to leave.

 

“wait,” I halted. “what is this last part? the open discussion bit.”

 

“Yes, I’m glad you asked. It’s so that if any opportunities that require further help from me are present, I want an open discussion without prior rejection or missed opportunity because you are unwilling to hear me out.”

 

“so basically, listen to you if something comes up and you have ideas about how to go about it.”

 

“Exactly! I just reworded the lines before. But given that I’ve already proven I know what I’m doing, that shouldn’t be an issue anyway.” I smirked, giving the king a knowing look.

 

He ignored it, though. “okay, i don’t see anything wrong with this. but just in case, let’s go through each again right now.”

 

I nodded. “As you wish!”

 

Soon after, the contract was signed as I was made the King’s Second. This meant that I would act as an advisor, which included tasks like creating and implement minor changes when necessary and with permission, guard his majesty – though Sans hated when I phrased it like that – and would help with the paperwork that had piled up during Sans’ week-and-some tantrum.

 

“i hate paperwork.”

 

“Oh stop being a baby!” I teased. “Group them by necessity and we will go from there.”

 

“that would just take more time.”

 

**“Not if Rachel uses Enhanced Vision.”**

 

During the nights, I went off to train while my body slept. It was instead of dreaming, so there was no extra energy involved. In the time since starting this ‘nightly ritual’, I learned a few new tricks and improved upon old ones.

 

“Oh yeah! One of my Enhanced Vision abilities is finding specific words or phrases. I called it the Definitive Eye.”

 

“go for it.”

 

I closed my eyes and activated the Definitive Eye, which resided only in my right eye. Opening said I, I glanced around.

 

“So, what’s the subject matter that is most important right now?”

 

“uh…foreign relations. they are having an issue with natural resources running out, food distribution, and i think something about pollution.”

 

“Pollution?”

 

“i don’t know anything beyond what i’ve read and been told. i can’t leave the castle with all of the work i’ve got.”

 

I hummed, activating the power and zeroing in the ‘pollution’. Using the air, I created a current to bring all the papers with glowing text to me. I then did the same for ‘food distribution’ and ‘natural resources’.

“Give me a list of all of the subjects you know.”

 

“already did once i saw what you were up to.” He slid the paper over to me.

 

Not five minutes later, there were several organized piles of paper that had been organized further by necessity. The first on the list happened to be the pollution one.

 

“This is worrisome,” I commented, turning my normal bright blues towards the skeleton. “The first talks about a shadow at night that was seen by a mother and child. They never caught them, but soon after, monsters started getting sick in a way that magic couldn’t heal. Are there any pictures?”

 

“if there are, they would be there.”

 

I looked further and found the first and oldest of the images. The date was a few months ago, in a small town in the east called Orient Aecor, or OA, as it had been dubbed. It was by the ocean, the rivers and streams flowing through the town to meet it, and the water there was supposed to be the cleanest of all the world.

 

The pictures were of the residents before sickness and after. Comparing the two, my natural keen eye for details that I had had all my life, and was probably part of why I became an artist, picked up a few very interesting details.

 

“They poisoned the water.”

 

“what?”

 

I walked over to him and showed him the images. “Look at these comparisons. First notice the variations of the monsters’ appearance. Then look at the water here and here. It’s a similar discoloration!”

 

“damn, who did this?”

 

“The answer to that is on the ground. Look at the prints.” I pointed at the ground, where a shoe-print was left. “It said in the first report that a mother and child didn’t see who it was. But footprints leave marks and these were made by shoes. I worked with people who wore similar shoes and something Petals told me makes this seem even more likely.”

 

“what do you mean?”

 

“I have no doubt that humans have poisoned these monsters. These monsters look like how the monsters I rescued looked. In addition, Petals told me that something weird was going on and the humans were doing something to the captured monsters. This attack at OA might have been a test to see if it would work.”

 

“but then how were asgore and the others healed?”

 

“That’s the thing! It doesn’t make sense! I doubt it was a fluke.”

 

“It wasn’t a fluke!” Petals interrupted, popping up.

 

“explain.”

 

“I have been trying to find answers. Something feels wrong about that. You’re right about them testing OA to see if this poison would work. They did something right with the captured monsters, but I’m still not sure what.”

 

“Why do you say that?” I asked.

 

“I broke into the chairman’s office and found some notes about it. He wrote about this poison, which he dubbed the Ultiofel. If you haven’t realized it, everyone names things in Latin. Ultio mean revenge and Fel means poison. They are using this poison to wipe out monsters.”

 

“I see. So what else did he write?”

 

“He wrote about finding a way to spread the poison. He writes in a way that is so hard to decipher. I spent years developing photographic memory so that I could hopefully rewrite it.”

 

I nodded. “Can you remember it and write it down for us?”

 

He nodded. “Get a large cloth or something that you don’t mind getting dirty.”

 

I ran off and returned with a ratty table cloth.

 

“Will this work?”

 

He nodded and got to work, using his vines and sticky plant fluid to write. When he was finished, we looked it over. It was a mix of different writing, some of it I only recognized from my adopted family’s Jewish heritage.

 

“That looks like Hebrew. How many languages does this world use?”

 

“Only English, Latin, Japanese, and Chinese.”

 

“Weird. We have way more. I wonder how he got this.” I studied it. “Hang on! Am I the first person to come here from another world?”

 

Both monsters’ eyes widened.

 

“i’m not sure, but asgore and toriel might know.”

 

The goat monsters were quick to join you after being called and you retrieved your computer to start deciphering the words using Google Translate.

 

When his parents were situated, Petals asked, “Do you know if there have been any reports of others coming to this world from another?”

 

“Yes,” Toriel confirmed. “There have been a few wormholes over the centuries. Mostly items, but a few animals came down once several millennia ago and was raised.”

 

“In fact,” Asgore added. “After learning about this, we sent our former royal scientist, Dr. Gaster or WD Aster as his real name was, to investigate these other worlds. He reported back his findings, which can be found in his section of the archive. However, we lost connection with him a few years before we were taken.

 

“my dad…?”

 

“Indeed, it was a great loss.” Toriel replied sadly. “I do hope he is alright.”

 

Even though I surprised to hear about Gaster, we had to stay on task. “That must be it!”

 

“what do you mean?”

 

“Items fell, so this chairman probably acquired a dictionary that translated English or whatever to this. It’s not Hebrew, though. But maybe it’s…yes! It’s Yiddish!”

 

They surrounded me and look at the computer as I translated the first words from Yiddish to English. It translated to ‘Fifth of Month Eight’.

 

“Okay, give me a bit since I don’t have the right keyboard. I’m gonna have to search the characters.”

 

“okay. in the meantime, let’s discuss what the former royals’ jobs are going to be.”

 

“Over there,” I pointed away. “I need to focus.”

 

He snorted in amusement. “fine.”

 

It took about an hour of copy-pasting words, but I finally got a semblance of what it said.

 

_Fifth of Month Eight:_

_Tests start now. Make sure it affects monsters. Otherwise, this will all be for naught and they will not suffer for their crimes._

 

_Eighth of Month Nine:_

_First test delivered. Will keep watch._

 

_Twelve of Month Ten:_

_Test successful. We need a way to spread it to all._

 

_First of Month Eleven:_

_Scientist found solution. We are testing royals. Additional effect to make it undetectable after successful._

 

_Fourth of Month One, New:_

_Test on royals complete. But spy infiltrated and set free. Phrase left behind ‘pay up’. Women punished instead. Women will forever suffer below._

 

_Ninth of Month One, New:_

_Strange monster captured. Machine-made, covered in pink and black. We will use this to our advantage. We will wait._

 

“Shit!”

 

The room vibrated as the other joined me.

 

“They captured Mettaton!” I replied grimly. “And they didn’t keep their promise to me, so I’m going back to pound those assholes into the ground! No mercy for the merciless!”

 

I stood up, eyes flashing red. The monsters backed up, worry etched into their features.

 

“I’m gonna go check on Alphys,” I muttered hollowly, the fury bottled up but ready to be unleashed. “My battle suit better be ready!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD 1: How was your Thanksgiving?**
> 
>  
> 
> **QOTD 2: If you don't celebrate Thanksgiving or it isn't happening around now for you, what is something exciting, unique, fun, or interesting you've done recently?**


	31. YOU GIVE ME BULLSHIT AND I WILL WRECK YOU, AND EVERYTHING YOU HAVE!***

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SFW Synopsis  
> Enraged by the Human Empire Chairman's actions, Rachel sets out for a confrontation with the sexist man and to bring back the only monster left in their clutches. But what will happen when she gets there?
> 
>  
> 
> Warning  
> This chapter is explicit and contains violence, gore, and triggers. While what happens is only implied, I don't wish to cause anyone psychological trauma. Read the end notes for trigger warnings and a safe synopsis of the chapter.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some explicit content. While it does not go into detail, the implications are there. Go to the end notes for the chapter summary if you have issues. **Specific trigger warnings in the end notes, just in case.**

**WARNING**

##  **[EXTREMELY MATURE CHAPTER! GORE AND POTENTIALLY UNETHICAL CONTENT! READ AT YOUR OWN RISK! SMALL SUMMARY IN THE END NOTES!]**

 

To call this emotion ‘fury’ was the biggest understatement. I think Soul was too afraid to stop me, but would pull me back if I went too far. I had spent years being hurt by humans and with how powerless I was, I had to develop a way to deal with the hurt, anger, and fury humans had knowingly caused.

 

Geared up in my new battle suit created by my design, made just for me, I was ready to take on the lying human scum. The outfit included a Cheongsam dress that’s sides were slashed apart so that the front stripe draped elegantly down my center, covering my groin from frontal attack when the ‘battle’ portion of the gear was activated. The back of the dress was designed to be tailcoats to make room for better movability for Soul. On the chest of the dress was a circle design that was used to create the delta rune, but per my design, was cut out to show my cleavage as well. Why not, since it could help fluster the enemy!

 

The pants and light-weight boots were designed to easily shift between being bootleg and boot-tuck, so I could have them out and open per my usual liking but could have them tucked inside the boots comfortably if I needed. Lastly were the fingerless arm warmers, the clothing covering most of my arms, from the base of where my fingers met my palms to just before my shoulder.

 

The outfit was heavily inspired by the outfit worn by Avatar Korra in a small bit of seasons two and the second half of season four. The main difference was the color, mine being covered in the same shades of purple as the delta rune that represented the monster’s symbol. With the black of my hair, tail, and the underside of my boots, I looked badass.

 

I reached the humans in record time. Before I was in their territory, Soul stopped me.

 

**“You’ll need a weapon. And you will need to promise to only use it to protect yourself, protect the women and anyone else who is worthy of saving, and no matter what, deliver non-fatal blows.”**

 

“I already know. I don’t plan on killing anyone, Soul. Death is an easy escape while living with the knowledge that you are weak and worthless…that is what I’m aiming for. I will become these savages’ worst nightmare.”

 

**“Then take it and use it to reign victorious.”**

 

My Soul Symbol lit up, activating the battle suit and light up the delta rune briefly as I pulled out my Soul Weapon, the Moon Blade, a sword shaped like a crescent moon. Gripping the handle stationed on the inside, I used the blade’s shape to protect me, the metal curving around like it was asking for a hug.

 

**“You spent a while coming up with different ways to use this even before you could physically touch it. Whether you change it into a boomerang, a bow for a magical arrow, or separate it further into two blades…only you can use this. It is yours and only you can conquer it!”**

 

I sneered at the direction of the entrance to the humans’ lair. Taking Soul’s advice, I  _willed_  the Moon Blade into two halves, two grips replacing the one. If I were in shadow, it would look like I was holding two curved horns with handles on the sides, near the wide side.

 

“Let’s dance!” And with that, the Alan Walker, Nightcore version of “[Move Your Body](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jT2SARzR-pE)” by Sia began to play.

 

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Poetry on your body_

_You got it in every way_

 

_And can't you see it's you I am watchin'_

_I am hot for you in every way_

 

_And turn around, let me see you_

_Wanna free you with my rhythm_

 

_I know you can't get enough_

_I'ma turn up with my rhythm!_

_Your body's poetry, speak to me_

_Won't you let me be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_I wanna be your muse you refuse_

_Let the movement be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_Your body's poetry, speak to me_

_Won't you let me be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_I wanna be your muse you refuse_

_Let the movement be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

I had burst through the entrance, startling countless soldiers as I kicked them aside. For those who were quick enough to fight back, I slashed their weapons to bits and left them bruised and mildly cut up. The further I ventured, the more vicious I became.

 

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Poetry on your body_

_Got me started, it'll never end_

 

_Feel my rhythm in your system_

_This is heaven, I'm your only friend_

 

_Feel the beat in your chest_

_Beat your chest like an animal_

 

_Free the beast from its cage_

_Free the rage like an animal_

_Your body's poetry, speak to me_

_Won't you let me be your rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_I wanna be your muse you refuse_

_Let the movement be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_Your body's poetry, speak to me_

_Won’t you let me be your rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_I wanna be your muse you refuse_

_Let the movement be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

I had found the women, all of them beaten and looking miserable. I slashed their restraints to bits and told them to run. They didn’t hesitate and fled.

 

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_You body's poetry_

_Move your body for me_

 

_You're body's poetry_

_Move your body for me_

_Your body's poetry, speak to me_

_Won’t you let me be your rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_I wanna be your muse you refuse_

_Let the movement be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_Your body's poetry, speak to me_

_Won’t you let me be your rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

 

_I wanna be your muse you refuse_

_Let the movement be the rhythm tonight_

 

_Move your body, move your body_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

_Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh, oh_

 

It was too perfect. Exiting the cave, we were greeted by all the men, council included. I wasted no time ripping them apart. By the time the song was over, the ground was covered in blood, the broken but not fatally wounded bodies of all the men who had ever hurt these women having been thoroughly smeared on the ground.

 

“So, I see these are all the savages in the pathetic Human Empire. So, have you learned you lesson yet?”

 

“You will pay for this!” The chairman spat.

 

I turned to the women. “How many of the men were good to you?”

 

“There are at least a hundred who were, but the council…sent them away. They tried to help us!”

 

“I see.”

 

“Those who defy the law are punished!” The chairman snarled.

 

“If that’s how it works, then those who see fit to discriminate against their fellows for doing the right thing are in no position to lead and will suffer for their crimes. Thankfully, I know the best way to punish you without killing you. And you will regret your actions for the rest of your life since I plan to make the punishment a constant reminder.”

 

“What?”

 

I moved fast, and with a single slash, the chairman’s ability to reproduce was taken away. The scream of agony was painful to my ears, but necessary. Upon seeing the result and knowing they would be punished the same way, the other men begged forgiveness.

 

“Soul?”

 

**“I’m on it.”**

 

“Stay still, men! I will test your sincerity. Those who pass will be pardoned only once. Those who fail will meet the same fate as this animal here.” I gestured to the chairman, writhing in pain in his own fluids.

 

Placing his hand on each head, Soul found the truth. While others were honest and planned to change themselves, others only did so to avoid punishment. When all was said, and done, at least ten men were subjected to the same fate as their leader.

 

“Treat each other with respect and I will have no reason to harm you. This world is not yours and it is a good thing because if it was, you would have destroyed it. You already have in the world I came from.”

 

“What?” The chairman blubbered.

 

“I came back in secret recently and found your notes,” I lied. “You wrote it in Yiddish, a language that doesn’t exist here, but does exist in another world. Where is Mettaton? He’s the monster you wrote about capturing?”

 

There was a brief spark in his eye and he answered, “In the lab, near the dungeon.”

 

I nodded, returning my weapon back to its rightful place within me. “I’ll be right back.”

 

With the mental map still stored in my mind, I tracked down said lab swiftly and found the robot, out of power, and having been dissected. Lifting him careful, I made my way out, with the air supporting me so I could move fast enough with ease.

 

Turning to the sniveling chairman, I glowered, “If I win a bet against someone, they are to pay up! Treating the women of your civilization as trash just to spite me will be the greatest mistake you will ever make.” Lifting him by the scruff of shirt, I gazed into his eye. “You pay double what you owe, or you dick is next. Am I clear?”

 

“You’re not human, are you?”

 

“No, I’m not. Why would I want to be, though? Humans are pathetic, spineless assholes who will turn on each other at a moment’s notice when things get rough. No sense of honor, letting your pride dictate how you treat others, including and especially your own kind. You are the bottom of the barrel and should be treated as such.”

 

Dropping him, I kicked him around a little.

 

“Learn your place or die like the scum you are, you miserable piece of human shit!” He whimpered.

 

“I went easy on you. I could do so much worse! If you want me to do worse, continue being the assholes you are! I’ll see you in my personal hell soon enough!”

 

Turning to the women, I hesitated as a vision overtook my sight. Focusing it into one eye, I watched.

 

When it was over, I released the robot on the ground and turned to the women, and the men who hadn’t been neutered.

 

“Give me a piece of paper and a pen.”

 

A minute later, pen and paper in hand, I wrote down the necessary information and returned it to the women.

 

“You’ll be needing that. That’s where the banished are. Look for what I’ve drawn there.”

 

I was surrounded in an embrace.

 

“Thank you!” They all exclaimed over and over.

 

“Take care of yourself.” They nodded and hurried away.

 

Once they were out of sight, I turned to the remaining humans.

 

“You are all guilty of treason to your own kind. Men and women are to be treated as equals. Women are not around to breed for you and do the chores. The sooner you change your ways, the sooner the darkness that consumes your mind and Soul will be gone.”

 

“There is nothing wrong with us!” The chairman grumbled. “Women like you have to mind your place!”

 

“bud, you are an idiot with a stick up your ass.”

 

The men gasped as Sans dropped down next to you. My lips quirked, having felt his presence a while ago.

 

“Demon!”

 

“no, monster.” He replied with a shrug.

 

“Scum!” The chairman spat.

 

“Shut up!” I ordered, punching him for effect. “God damnit! You’re the demon, you old bastard! Appearances do not dictate a person’s worth, place, or who they are meant to be. Actions and how you behave towards others do, which means that you should be treated like garbage because that’s all you treat others like.”

 

“I couldn’t agree more.” Walking out of the underground, was Frisk.

 

“Thank you for coming back, Rachel. I have tried for years to change these people’s ways, but they insist on being cruel. I am a pacifist, but the chairman is the man who beat me before I  _saved_  them by destroying the barrier.”

 

I narrowed my eyes at the man.

 

“He took the credit for raising me so he could become the chairman of the council. Naturally, the people took the bait. He is a terrible man who had hurt and killed too many, out of petty revenge for what only happened because humans are jealous of monsters.”

 

I nodded. “I’m aware.”

 

“When Petals told me about your arrival, I became hopeful. I have already set up a place for those who have been forced out of our society by this cruel man. They are safe and they are not like this barbarian, so I ask the monster king to spare them.”

 

With all eyes on him, Sans replied, “i will personally need to see that these people are, in fact, good and won’t cause damage to my citizens.”

 

She nodded. “I’m sure you will appreciate what you find. Your partner of sorts knows their location and can take you there when you are ready.”

 

“What about you?” I asked.

 

“I will join them soon. But I must tend to some things before that. With our society’s dictatorship crumbling, I must make sure those who wish to bring it back cannot do so.”

 

“Are you going to destroy your home? The underground?”

 

“Yes. If this world is to evolve in a way that monsters and humans can live in peace, then humans must be civil and understanding that the past is the past, that they cannot hide underground, and that monsters are not the enemy. You will find that a lot of my citizens are already aware of this.” She winked.

 

“Then we shall go and see them very soon.”

 

“first we need to take metts back.”

 

I didn’t miss the brief yet crazy grin on the former-chairman’s face.

 

“Yes, we do.” I said with narrowed eyes.

 

Gathering him up with Sans’ help, he prepared to teleport us back.

 

“Until we meet again!” Frisk called.

 

I nodded. “Yes, I will look forward to it!”

 

And we were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your favorite genre to read? (i.e. Comedy, fantasy, sci-fi, romance, horror, etc. _Includes double categories like fantasy/romance [my favorite])_**
> 
> * * *
> 
> TRIGGER WARNINGS:  
> -Body horror  
> -Amputation  
> -Neutering
> 
> \----
> 
> _**Chapter synopsis:** Rachel angrily returns to the Human Empire and, with the Moon Blade - a weapon that belongs to Rachel alone - beats the crap out of all them without dealing any fatal blows. The council have banished the human men who tried to fight them. As punishment for not fulfilling the terms of the bet laid out from when Rachel first came to the Underground, Rachel deals with all the sexist men who followed the Chairman, starting with their leader - the chairman himself, who was originally Frisk's guardian and who was jealous of them. Those who were willing to change their bad ways were free to go and will seek out where the other banished humans are. Sans appears as potential backup, they get Mettaton and bring him back to the monster capital, Frisk destroys the underground so no one else can use it for evil means or to hide, and Rachel and Sans head off to meet the humans that were banished._


	32. BY USING PSYCHOLOGY AT ITS FINEST, I CAN SHOOT CHILDHOOD LESSONS IN THE BALLS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After dropping off the unconscious robot with Alphys (and getting teased by the crazy shipper), Sans and Rachel head towards a village of hot springs to check on the humans who escape/were exiled from the Human Empire and taken shelter there. Now that they are alone, what will happen?

Sans and I dropped off the broken and lifeless robot with Alphys, the doctor confirming that he would be okay, much to Sans poorly concealed dismay. From his grumbling, it seemed the Papyton ship was canon in this world.  _Poor Sans and his overprotectiveness!_  I snickered quietly, turning away when the purple-clad skeleton sent me a glare.

 

“So, what now?”

 

“it’s time to pay those humans a visit. where are they?”

 

“Before I tell you, you need to promise you won’t storm in and attack. Just because the phrase ‘shoot first, ask questions later’ exists doesn’t mean it’s the right course of action.”

 

“rachel, you…have no idea what that tone of voice is doing to me.” He had covered his face, hints of blue peaking past his fingers.

 

“What the fuck does that mean?” I blushed, balking in bewilderment.

 

“it sounds like a mom voice.” He mumbled.

 

“Holy shit, Sans! Shut up!” I shouted, mimicking him by covering my face with my hands.

 

“A-are you t-t-two going to stand there blushing or will you be l-leaving?” Oh, the smug look on the doctor’s face.

 

I glared at her, the intensity almost knocking her off her feet. “This is your fault for letting him see that stuff! You better watch your back from now on. Freaking…damnit…gaaaaaaaaah! Let’s go, Sans!” I stormed out.

 

“yeah, yeah. i’m comin’!”

 

“H-heh, more like c-cuming.” The doctor muttered. I pulled Sans away before he could Dust the yellow dinosaur.

 

Sans was low on magic after teleporting such a far distance back and forth, so we ended up taking a vehicle that could only be this world’s version of a car. Well, if cars could roll, hover, float, and be submerged in various environments.

 

Monsters were more technologically advanced while still being environmentally safe. They made human scientists look like obnoxious pigs eating up minerals and wasting valuable resources.

 

If the humans from my world ever invaded and tried to destroy this beautiful world with their filthy hands, I would slap them so hard they wouldn’t be able to think straight. Plenty of the humans here were bad enough! I wasn’t going to let those shitheads back home have anything this world had to offer.

 

I could just imagine them taking a whiff of this clean air and pollute it with your stinky, noxious breath and I will rip you apart!

 

To take my mind off my growing hatred, I watched Sans maneuver the vehicle with ease. There was no steering wheel, the controls being a gel pad to his right that he could control with a magic-infused hand alone and a lever that controlled the speed only on his left. It seemed each poke and prod on the gel pad was a signal to the car. Whenever he held his hand steady, the car continued doing what he commanded until he moved to give it a new command.

 

In front of us was a full-length window that showed everything that would have been blocked by a radio, air conditioner, steering wheel, and other controls. There was no way to miss anything in front, and with a sensor, Sans would know if anything was behind us or in a blind spot. Additionally, the walls had a filter of sorts to make us invisible when needed.

 

The car came with additional protection and gadgets for amusement only. It was equipped for four people total and the seats were adjustable to fit a person’s preference in case someone’s body needed a certain comfort. Messing with my seat, I found a built-in massage machine that could locate my sore spots. I moaned as it worked at my shoulders and all over my back, working out the knots little by little.

 

“This is greeeeeeeaaaaaaat!” I whimpered blissfully.

 

“mmhmm,” Sans responded gruffly. Turning back to him, I was delighted to find a heavy blush that he couldn’t hide as he still needed to control the car.

 

“So, what… _oh, that’s good_ …what do you call… _right there, yes_ …this thing?” I moaned.

 

“damnit,” he grumbled. “cut that out! i need to focus.”

 

“Sssoooooorrrrrrryyyyyy!” I couldn’t help it.

 

“it’s called a car.”

 

“Oh, so you call these ‘cars’, too!”

 

“yeah.”

 

“But your cars are so much better than Earth’s. Yours can fly, float, and more! Ours only roll with wheels on land.”

 

“ours can do that, but to remain one with the environment, we only use that when transporting heavy objects. this is my personal car, and it doesn’t have regular wheels attached. it only has backups that inflate if something happens to the engine.

 

“it has two and a half power sources. solar energy is the biggest and converts the energy into magic, lunar energy, which is not anything like solar energy, is the second since it is a kind of magic that is converted like solar energy. the last is just our monster magic. it takes stagnant magic to control a car, and for mine, it needs to be my magic specifically.”

 

“So lunar energy is different.” I stated matter-of-factly, not all that surprised by the info.

 

“we found out through some tests that the sun disrupts an energy source when it’s rays are present. at night, the moon and stars are dim enough that an energy emanating from space flows down. in fact, the moon and stars help filter this energy towards us so that the strength is greater than that of solar energy.”

 

“Whoa! That’s incredible!”

 

“yeah, we have learned a lot about how we interact with space, how the world works and how all of its energies cohabitate with each other. we are careful not to damage this planet. after all, a damaged planet is uninhabitable after a while.”

 

“You’re telling me.” He turned to me, no doubt catching on to my sadness. “The humans from my world are so stupid. They have destroyed Earth with their pollution, toxic waste, harmful chemicals, and just…they bombed each other without a care about what they are doing. All it takes is a different opinion and it’s a call to the military to set them on the road to destroy whoever it is that disagreed.

 

“I got so pissed off at this one stupid bitch who would turn a faucet on and rinse before taking  _for-fucking-ever_  to slowly lather her hands, letting the water run. I turned it off once, and told her to stop wasting, and she whined to someone and they told me some stupid shit like ‘others are different from you’. The point wasn’t that people are different. The point is that humans are stupid, selfish fuck-ups who never seem to learn from their mistakes. Bitch, turn off the fucking water when you’re not using it, you retarded cunt-faced little bratty…I swear, I want that stupid girl dead even now. She was such a slut, too! Whining when she didn’t get her way, dressing like a whore, fucking useless!”

 

My hand had ignited with my rage. I shook it to rid myself of the flames beginning to lick up my arm.

 

“Why is it that so many humans are so…well, they’re stupid! That is all there is! They are stupid! To me, all of the bad humans are worthless, worse than crap. They certainly act it! There is a small group that I got to know that deserved happiness. I fought for them, but so many assholes shut me down. Man, I would love to go back there just to kick those asses around and show them how pathetic and worthless they are.”

 

“would that really help?” I looked at him. “sounds like you’re backing out of what you taught me?”

 

“Because I don’t plan on killing anyone.” I grinned.

  
“the question still stands. will that help?”

 

I laughed bitterly. “Actually, yes. People would disagree if I said that, but ‘two wrongs don’t make a right’ is not a fact. I proved that when that asshole Skyped us. The thing is…if you force an asshole to feel how they make others feel and possibly using fear to push them into submission, it might work. Fear is the only thing that works on stupid humans. They don’t have a healthy respect for those they are jealous of, so ‘pushing them until they submit’ is the only answer. They’ve done it to others anyway, so they would fucking deserve it!”

 

“huh.” He seemed to think it over.

 

“You steal my tactic and use it without permission, I will torture you with skeleton porn and so much more.” Well, apparently my shame has left the building. Again.

 

I smirked at his terrified face. “what the fuck?”

 

“Exactly! That’s my tactic! Leave it to me! It does not suit you!”

 

He grumbled, face bluer than a blueberry. “thank goodness we’re here.”

 

“Why, so you can be free from further embarrassment?” I grinned cheekily as we descended towards the ground.

 

Parking, he turned to me, a finger pointed in warning, “you embarrass me in front anyone else, and i’ll show you how i use fear to my advantage.”

 

“Hmm, sounds kinky!”

 

He fell back, “gaaaaaah! remember what i said!”

 

“Don’t worry, I won’t be too much of an ass! After all, gotta keep up the  _ass_ istant façade just in case.”

 

He huffed, “let’s go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you could visit any place, what would it be? And why?**


	33. BY HELPING ANOTHER PERSON, THE POSSIBILITY OF HELPING OTHERS INCREASES!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Rachel arrive at the village of hot springs. Shenanigans ensue! What will happen when Sans and Rachel realize what is happening?

After exiting and locking up the vehicle, we walked a short distance to the entrance of a town called Veros Falls, a town that was host to many hot springs and a natural tropical environment. The air contained the perfect amount of humidity and the wildlife was so beautiful and full. No trash, no decay!

 

It was gorgeous!

 

“This is amazing!”

 

“yeah, these people make their living as harvesters, spring operators, and enhanced beauty and health. people come here to relax and get refreshed. i bet they could make a  _killing_ with me, too.” He winked.

 

“Oh my goodness, you punned!” I gasped.

 

“hey, i thought you liked them!” He replied nervously.

 

“Oh believe me, it isn’t that I don’t! Just the wink and presentation was so goofy!” I couldn’t stop giggling.

 

He chuckled. “well, i guess i can use my puns as a weapon to torture you into laughing forever.”

 

“Oh geez, no! Please, Sans! No!”

 

“sans yes!” With an impressive bone-brow wiggle, I was done for. I covered my nose and mouth as I snorted and cackled, shifting back and forth and making a fool of myself. Sans looked immensely proud of himself and upped his antics.

 

“Can we help you, sire?” A purple monster with several pairs of tentacle-like arms approached.

 

“just sans, please.” The skeleton corrected gently, and then gestured to me, now giggling in a pile on the ground. “and i think my companion needs a place to calm down. can you show her to whomever can help with that?”

 

“Certainly! Right this way, ma’am!” When I tried to respond, I ended up snorting again. “Do you need some help, ma’am?” I nodded.

 

As Sans followed a similar monster of a bluer hue, the purple monster escorted me to a spring. A human girl was the host and coming face to face, she gasped.

 

“I know you! You’re the girl who saved the monsters from the Human Empire!”

 

“This is the girl who stood up to your council?” The monster inquired.

 

“Yes! You’re Rachel, I think.”

 

I nodded. “Yes, hi! I recognize your face, but I’m bad with names.”

 

“I was the waitress named Bree. After you left, I was banished for trying to fight. Frisk’s companion, Petals escorted me here, and I’ve been here ever since.”

 

“They didn’t hurt you, did they?”

 

She cringed, curling into herself. “They beat me, but Petals healed me enough to get me to the monsters here and they helped me from there. I always knew monsters were kinder than humans.”

 

“But some humans can empathize, too.” I reminded her, smiling gently. “And not to worry! Others should be here soon. I’ve also taken the opportunity to neuter the men who were so cruel and Frisk is destroying the underground. I will see to it that no more innocent people are hurt.”

 

Both flinched at the mention of torture, but recovered and smiled. “Thank you! I can’t wait to be reunited with my sisters. I miss them.”

 

“I would like to thank you as well.” The monster added. “My name is Taya. When Bree came here, I was in a funk. But by being able to help her, it gave me confidence and now we work together to help others. While it might have been indirect, you have helped more people than you are aware of yet.”

 

“Thank you for telling me! I’ve been most of my life wishing I could help more! Now I can!” I sniffed, my emotions getting the better of me. “I feel like I have a purpose now.”

 

With that, the three of us embraced. After that, Taya showed me to the springs. With a towel being my only cover-up, I stepped into a private section. The temperature was perfect and I relaxed, the aches in my back fading away like magic.

 

“okay, thanks. i will.” Came Sans voice as he addressed an attendant.

 

“Sans?” I called in amusement.

 

He whipped around. “rachel? what are you doing here?”

 

Oh, okay then. Apparently, there are  **more**  shipper afoot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your lucky number, color, etc, if any?**


	34. HEART TO SOUL, BREASTS TO RIBS, AND…YEAH, THIS IS THE FIRST SMUT CHAPTER!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ...do I really have to summarize this one? It's literally in the title. Smut! Yay! Sinners, it's the chapter you have been waiting for! Hope you enjoy! 
> 
> **Smut starts at the ~ S M U T ~ and goes till the end of the chapter. If you aren't here for that, read until then and then you're done. ;)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is 1 of 2 chapters being posted today! Since the next chapter is the last in this arc, I'm posting them both today since it's Sunday and I'd rather not wait to post next Saturday! Enjoy!

He was only wearing a towel, like me.

 

“they told me this was private.”

 

I snorted. “I think they are onto us. Let’s just make sure we don’t do anything  _too_  bad.”

 

“i can ask for a different room.”

 

“Don’t bother. Taya informed me this was the last one, and I did check. In a way, that’s also a good enough excuse to anyone who asks.”

 

“okay.” He narrowed his eyes at me. “but i have a suspicious feeling that you just want to see me naked.”

 

“I’m pretty sure I already have…indirectly!” I grinned coolly.

 

“damn it!” He turned blue.

 

“Just get in!” I grinned.

 

“fine.”

 

He sank down into the water and moaned lewdly, though he probably hadn’t meant to. His face was flushed and I couldn’t help but creep over to get a better look. The steam was making everything hard to see. Coming up next to him, I began to take in all his features.

 

**_Good news. No cameras and no one is nearby. I’ll keep an eye out for you two._ **

 

Oh, Soul’s playing matchmaker! Or, was he more worried about our safety? Whatever, he was trying to get us closer. Not that I minded. I wanted nothing more than to get it on with this adorable skeleton.

 

Sans opened his eyes and flinched. “when did you get so close?”

 

“Since you closed your eyes. Don’t worry, though, Soul is keeping an eye out for any peepers. And there are apparently no cameras, either.”

 

“what about soul?”

 

“Soul is literally a part of me, having originated from my essence and created in the image of a part of my personality. Though he is considered  _male_ , he’s from my tomboyish side. Even though we have the same Father, he’s was placed with me from the get go. He’s from the side that hates dresses and skirts and wants nothing to do with feminine attire most of the time. I’m more goth than anything, hence the skeleton fetish, though that might be because of trauma. We’ll just say the love of black if from my gothic side. If Soul were to appear human, he’d be a teen covered in black  _everything_  with pale skin tones. His eyes had black sclera’s with white disks has irises.”

 

Soul snorted but said nothing.

 

I glared at the tail. “What? That’s how you looked while training me for the Asgoriel Rescue.”

 

 **“I know.”** He replied nonchalantly.

 

“well, fine.” Sans shrugged.

 

Blushing, he sat up. And moments later, I felt his hand on mine. I grinned at his boldness and my smile widened at his longing expression. I decided that I’d take it a step further and wrapped my arms around him, pulling both of us into the middle where it was deeper.

 

“whoa there, slow down.” The skeleton yelped, quivering with worry as he glanced around.

 

“Sorry, in every relationship I had I was the first to take a step.” My expression soured. “And I was the one who was dumped. Only one time did we agree together to cut ties. I guess I'm just too emotional for people.”

 

“did you have anyone before you left?”

 

“No…I stopped trying because people either weren’t my type, tried to take advantage, or…I don’t know. Also, human bodies weird me out. Like I said, I think because the people who raised me were doctors, bodily stuff grossed me out. I can't deal with it, and even a muscular guy would weird me out.

 

“And before you say it, yes, I have flesh and bodily stuff, too. I have looked in a mirror before. Thankfully, I’m not weirded out by myself. Also, I  **know**  my breasts are awesome!”

 

I chuckled at his shocked blush, before sighing dejectedly, shaking the sadness off and turning to him. “What about you? Have you been in any relationships? If yes, how many?”

 

“well, before the whole ‘being king’ thing happened i had flings. now i have suitors who are nobles in charge of different countries of the world. they try to gain my favor so that i’ll want to wed them, but they are so…i can see right through them. their actions are talked about in the media. it’s obvious it’s only about the title. they don’t actually want me, they want the power being with me will give them. i haven’t even met them yet.”

 

“It would seem the two races are complete opposites in that regard.”

 

“what?”

 

“What I mean is that humans are mostly bad with a small portion of good while monsters are mostly good with a small portion of bad. It’s understandable to have some bad apples. I’m sorry that they treat you poorly.”

 

“would you still be interested in me if i wasn’t the king?”

 

“Sans, I don’t look at people and judge them by their ranks. Yes, I have my type when it comes to looks, but personality also means the world to me. I have lived my life with depression over my head, and you aren’t the first skeleton I’ve had an enormous thing for. But you were the closest to my ideal, mainly because you and I share something enormous. We have both fought for our happiness and have hit a point where we gave up. When I gave up, and I mean truly gave up, I was sent here. When you gave up, I was there to help you. I’ve had to help myself from losing hope in the past until that final time. I’ve had practice. After all, I have fought for at least twenty years to keep going.

 

“You are the best I could hope for. Yes, some things are not my ideal, but no one is perfect. And these are things I’m more than capable of looking past. Because they are a part of you and I respect that. Don’t ever consider that I love you because of your rank or whatever. I love you as Sans the Skeleton, not Sans the King of Monsters. That was just an interesting addition. But I love you for you, not anything else. Besides, if you remember correctly, in Undertale…you weren’t a monarch. You were the Judge. So implying I love you because I’m after the crown is, well, insulting if I’m being honest.”

 

He curled in on himself. “sorry. i forgot.”

 

I grinned, kissing his forehead. “I know.”

 

“And this,” I poked his belly, “is one of my kinks. So are fangs and your rounded, chubby features, hence why I don’t have a thing for Papyrus.” I winked. “I could go on, but I think I’ve made my point. Also, puns and anything to make me laugh is a bonus since I need more laughs. Painful laughs are fine! Just let me laugh! I self-generate sadness, so…”

 

He sniffed and I held him closer. “Whoa, are you okay?”

 

“you’re amazing. that’s all!”

 

~ S M U T ~

 

He pulled me against him, and the presence of lips was startling. Granted, they were thin and strange, but they ignited a raging inferno within me. Pushing back, I held him to me, ignoring the slipping towels and focusing on his hands delving lower down my body, mine eagerly following his example. I felt the ectoplasmic material of his belly press against my slimmed down, but still soft, abdomen.

 

Pressing hard, we hit the edge just in time for his hardened phallus to graze my sensitive slit. I moaned against his mouth, my need taking control as I gripped his hard cock. He shuddered, breaking the kiss.

 

“ _ahhhh_ …are you s-sure you… _ahhhh_ …want th-this?”

 

“Are you saying… _ahhhh…_ that because y-you are a virgin?”

 

“uh…kinda? the flings…they weren’t interested in me getting off. you could say i’m good with my hands.”

 

“Oh, definitely. The only guy I ever attempted it with had such a small dick, the size of my pinkie finger, so I don’t consider what we did as having sex.”

 

I pinched his head and he groaned. “But I can definitely not say the same thing about you. And you are sensitive.” He moaned as I rubbed the head soothingly.

 

“ _I like it._ ” I purred.

 

“it’s blue, though.” Stop trying to find reasons for me not to love you, damnit!

 

“Mmmmm,” I purred into the side of his head. “My favorite color.”

 

“how are you so bold? not that i mind, i just –  _ahhh, stars_ – don’t want to disappoint you.”

 

“Oh baby,” I rumbled. “Don’t worry about that. I have faith in you. You ready?”

 

“y-yeah, i think so.”

 

His hands gripped my hips securely as I helped him slip his hard member up into my needy folds. His size was  _definitely_  impressive and the magical surge running through hia cock was similar to that of my overused vibrator, except instead of it radiating through  **just**  my heated core, it affected my entire body and increased my sexual needs. After a few seconds, he had fully penetrated my core and I was adjusted to his throbbing length.

 

“wow, this…you feel amazing!”

 

“I’m glad you like it. I’m gonna start moving, so match my pace and just focus on enjoying yourself.”

 

He grinned, his smile becoming more blissful and I began to bounce, riding his cock gently. He soon got the hang of the motion and thrust his hips in time with mine, creating more friction despite the difficulty the water created. I pulled his skull to me, locking lips again and keeping him closer. I smiled against his mouth as he gained enough confidence to explore my body further.

 

Time stopped existing as we stayed locked in our feverish embrace, the heat between us no longer having anything to do with the spring. Sans enjoyed switching between running his phalanges over my hips, experimenting with my breasts, gliding my sides, and fondling my ass. I found enjoyment in feeling his ribs, spine – where I could reach it, pelvis, and various places across his skull.

 

The buildup was slow and perfect. We moved as one, and our grips on each other grew stronger and our peaks neared. With every thrust in, we moaned. I cried out in bliss as Sans began sucking lewdly on my more sensitive breast, nipple perking in want. I wrapped my arms around him and tried to moan as quietly as possibly as his tongue swirled around the sensitive button, his other hand working diligently on the other to ensure equal pleasure. He really was good with his hands.

 

I grasped his ectoplasmic sides and mentally cheered when he shuddered, moaned needily, and worked harder on my breasts. Then suddenly, he stopped.

 

“What? Sans?”

 

He growled and suddenly, we flipped. No longer sitting on the edge of the hot springs, Sans and forced me to lie back against the seat so that I was barely above the water, my face and nipples above the water, my sensitive nipples growing harder in the colder air. My back pressing into the hard stone, I gazed up at the hooded face of the skeleton.

 

“okay, now i’m ready to take charge.”

 

To say I was pleasantly surprised would have been the biggest understatement of the century. Sans was the perfect amount of strong, gentle, sexy, and so much more as he pounded into me. His hands sent shocks of pleasure that I couldn’t help but cry out, and I was thankful for the sound barrier. I just hoped that no one decided to peek in on us.

 

My legs wound around him as I reached up to pull him to me. He went willingly, not halting his ministration. His moans turned into growls as animalistic instincts took over and he rutted harder and harder, drawing more pleasure out of both of us.

 

“Fuck!” I cried. “So good!”

 

“good! you are, too!”

 

“More! Please!”

 

He obeyed, his tongue returning to my perked nipples as he swirled the tender, hardened tips like he had done it a thousand times before. With his mouth and left hand occupying my breasts, he used his right hand to cup my ass and lift me into a new angle to go deeper into my core.

 

I moaned appreciatively as I felt his hard, pulsing cock go farther, wrapping my arms around his shoulders as I screamed with every thrust. He began to alternate positions to see what worked best, and it soon became clear that his magic was keeping us both from orgasming.

 

However, soon enough, we were both reaching our limits and our combined orgasm was fast approaching. Holding me close, bodies pressed tightly, especially my hardened breasts as they were practically squished against his sternum, we locked lips one final time as the most enormous orgasm either of us ever felt crashed through us, the aftershock shaking us both.

 

Sans fell forward, head landing beside mine, just barely above the water. I felt dizzy, but smiled blissfully at the feeling of his seed pouring into me. I was amazed that it wasn’t coming out and staining the water, but after it stopped a few minutes later, there was a soft pop and his cock retracted and disappeared.

 

“Do you have a knot by any chance?”

 

“heh, you felt that?”

 

“Heh, another kink fulfilled!”

 

“what are your kinks again?”

 

“Tell you later, when I’m not so tired.”

 

“okay, just rest. i’ll take a small nap and then keep watch over both of us.”

 

I sighed, letting my mind drift and my consciousness ebb away, the last real memory of his arms securing around me in a loving embrace like no one had given me before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What are your favorite kinks?**


	35. FIND THE ANSWER BEFORE TIME RUNS OUT...OR AS I CALL IT, ‘FUCK FUCK FUCK FUCK’!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Rachel finish enjoying the hot springs. However, just as Frisk shows up, one of Rachel's terrible visions comes true, Rachel's future sight activating. Can the monster king and his new assistant save the monsters or will Rachel run out of time and lose her new friends, and lover, forever?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the last chapter of Arc 2. Enjoy while I finish Arc 3's edits.

I was woken up by a familiar poking sensation. Shifting around, I concluded two things: I was still in the hot springs and I was still in Sans’ embrace.

 

“soul sensed someone coming our way. we gotta find the towels and make ourselves decent.”

 

“Shit.”

 

**“I got them. I’ve been holding onto them the whole time. You two were so into it, you didn’t notice a lot of things.”**  He snorted.

 

“Like what?” I yawned, pulling the towel around me as Sans did the same.

 

**“Oh, they’ll no doubt tell you.”**

 

“Shit, what?” I gasped. Soul snickered.

 

“Are you two fully refreshed?” Taya’s voice called from the entrance, her tone almost sickly sweet.

 

“Uh, yes!” I answered hastily. “Yes, we are! Or I am, at least!” I amended.

 

“me too.” The blue blush returns.

 

We stepped out of the water and walked back in.

 

“Hope you two had fun.” Taya whispered cheekily, a knowing smirk on her maw. “We hope you visit again.”

 

“Oh geez!” I groaned.

 

“Don’t worry, dear.” Taya cooed. “We know about the whole arranged marriage and suitors thing. However, after all you’ve done to help, we like you more than any of the monster nobles around the world. They have done nothing in comparison to you.”

 

“Thanks. I guess…” I didn’t know what else to say.

 

She placed one of her tentacles to her lips and winked. “Your secret is safe with us.”

 

“Us?”

 

“Yes, us!” Bree giggled. “Even if humans aren’t as aware, monsters can sense when others are going at it. And it’s not the first time it’s happened here, according to Taya.”

 

The monster snickered playfully. “Oh yes, and we’ve enhanced the water with a bit of magic so anything extra with dissolve on contact, leaving no trace of any extra activities, intercourse  _or otherwise_.”

 

“Well, that’s great! But we have to go!” We were both blushing messes as we went into our separate locker areas and got dressed.

 

Upon exiting the spa, we were approached by a familiar human whom, unlike before, was now dressed more casually in a blue shirt with pink trim over navy blue trousers and black boots.

 

“Frisk!” I cheered and threw myself into a hug. “You made it!”

 

“Of course! And I’m happy to inform you that I took care of business, and the men whom have lost the ability to bear children are to be judged by the rest of my people. They deserve to judge those who have treated them poorly, and so whatever punishment they choose will happen. I have no intention of interfering. What say you?”

 

“I think that makes sense. Sans?”

 

“yeah, these people may have captured monsters, but as my second, rachel already passed her judgement onto them. and with that, i have no further punishment for them. this falls to you and whatever you decide works for me.”

 

“I’m glad we are finally agreeing. I’m just sorry it took so long.”

 

“yeah, me too. i guess i really am a  _numbskull_.” They shook hands, mimicking my vision exactly, as they shared a laugh.

 

“Well, I’m happy to see monsters and humans working together.” I said. “I guess one of my visions has happened.” I smiled knowingly as Sans gasped in understanding, looking at his and Frisk’s joined hands.

 

“yeah, and after seeing this, i have no reason not to believe you.” Sans concluded, releasing Frisk’s hand. “just make sure to keep it that way. i don’t want any monsters to be hurt. same for humans – the good ones, obviously.”

 

“You have my word I will stand by you should a human try harm. But I will work so that that doesn’t happen again. And if you are ever in need of help, please don’t hesitate to call for me.”

 

“Do you have a way to contact?”

 

We ended up exchanging numbers, and both Frisk and Sans proved to have better tech than me, of course.

 

“i’ll have alphys update it.”

 

“Sure! I–” My vision was triggered and one of the first visions I saw replayed…

 

_The monsters I had grown to love, diseased, with the same sickness enveloping a terrified Sans…_

But now, there was more. So much more…

 

_An image of Mettaton. Alphys screaming as something spills out from the robot and hits her, infecting her immediately. The sickness traveling, consuming the monsters we rescued. Infecting everyone else in turn._

_Half the monsters, unconscious, while the others looked possessed. Sans was to my side and was trying to fend them off. However, it was no use, and he started to succumb after being infected. He shouted something that looked like ‘run’, but I pulled him to me instead. I couldn’t be infected because I wasn’t a monster._

 

_I held Sans as he turned, as he fought a losing battle, giving me time to find a solution before it was too late. Why was it too late? Intense pain and a flurry of emotions. Anger, fear, frustration…but then realization. I needed determination, bravery, justice, kindness, patience, integrity, perseverance…and my love, my will. The answer – to help them – to save them – the answer was–_

 

There was a glitch in the vision–

 

_A flash, and then I was looking down at Sans as he began to recover. He smiled, relieved, touching my cheek._

 

More glitches, like static, and it cut out.

 

I bolted upright. “Soul, when does that vision take place?” No reply. “Don’t you know when?” Nothing.

 

“Soul!”

 

“what happened? what did you see?”

 

“The others looked like they had the same disease as the monster in that picture. It came from Mettaton. What could have– SHIT! The chairman! Mettaton! That’s what it was…Metts had whatever it was! His notes! He found the answer, and willingly gave us Metts so he could trigger whatever it was! They…”

 

“we need to get back!”

 

“No, not you! You…they got you, too! And I don’t know why, but if it gets you, it’s over. I’ll go alone! It didn’t affect me! Please!”

 

“no, i’m going back. if you want to stay here, fine. i’d rather you did if something is happening.”

 

“No, if you’re going…then you’re gonna need me. I don’t know how, but something to do with the seven Soul Traits. And love, not LV. Actual love. And my will, whatever that means. I’m not sure yet. But you need me.”

 

He nodded, bringing me close.

 

“tell your people to hurt that asshole as much as possible without killing him. killing him is the same as letting him go, and i won’t be happy if he doesn’t suffer for this.”

 

Frisk had only begun to nod as Sans teleported us away.

 

“The car…”

 

“i’ll get it later. i can’t worry about that right now.”

 

We made it back, the throne room appearing before us, and sure enough, everyone was grounded. There was something in the air, and I immediately thrust Sans into my chest.

 

“Do you need to breathe?” He shook his head. “Good, there’s a weird smell. We need to get out of here. Do you have enough to teleport outside?” He nodded and the next moment, we were outside.

 

I released him. “Sorry, I just want to keep you safe. And the vision took place outside. But it ended okay.”

 

“what happened? how do you figure it out?”

 

“I don’t know. My vision glitched, and fast forwarded. Like a part of it was purposefully left out. I don’t know why, but Mother is making me figure it out without using my future vision ability fully. And Soul is unresponsive, so clearly he’s not allowed to interfere.”

 

“damnit! remind me to have a talk with your mother later.”

 

“You and me both!”

 

There was a familiar groan and we turned to find the monsters who had been inside before coming towards us, approaching just like a zombie would, but with a speed that was faster.

 

“Shit!” I whipped the air towards them, but with strangely practiced movement, they phased around it. “They dodged it? What the fuck?”

 

“hang on.” He conjured a bone cage. But they were broken with a mere touch. “shit. what is this?”

 

“I don’t know!” I cried.

 

“Shit!” I gasped, kicking the possessed Undyne away from him. “We should really be running away! Not standing her trying to defend ourselves.” Unfortunately, running wasn’t an option as her teeth had already sunk into his shoulder.

 

“shit, i can feel it.” He looked up at me pitifully as he collapsed into my ready embrace. “sorry, i guess it’s up to you. figure it out and save us, and i’ll grant whatever request you want. doesn’t matter what. just don’t give up.”

 

“Fight back! Just fight back so I have enough time!” I screamed.

 

“i…m…try…ing.” He forced out. Unlike the visions, his discoloration was slower, so he was fighting. But it was still too fast. I was sputtering nonsense, tears leaking down my face, shaking my head and muttering ‘no’ over and over and as I watched whatever this disease was take complete control of him.

 

“Soul, please! I don’t know what to do!”

 

The grayed tones had yet to fully consume him, but he was barely fighting and leaned all his weight against me. My only thought was  _don’t let him fully turn or it’s over_.

 

I gasped. He’s the king of monsters. If he turns, they all turn. And then it’s over. There might not be a way to undo it.

 

“What’s powerful enough? What do I do? How do you fight a disease, or whatever is polluting their system?”

 

Wait! Pollution? The opposite of pollution is clean, or purity. Angel light is pure, and it’s white. How do you make white? White is the combination of all colors together. If I could activate all seven Soul Traits within myself, I could save him. That was why…

 

I held Sans close, trying to summon the feelings that went with the individual Soul Traits, starting with the most powerful trait, as well as the start of the rainbow.

 

 

**I am Determined to make a difference and see to it that the world becomes a better place for people who are different, like me...**  
  
**I am Brave because I don’t back down against those who have hurt me, or others…**  
  
**I am a symbol of Justice because I don’t let others get away with hurting others or being unethical towards their own kind in any way…**  
  
**I show Kindness to those who have earned it, or need it, because they have been hurt as well and deserve better…**  
  
**I have been Patient in hopes that life will get better and my hopes and dreams will come true…**  
  
**I have Integrity because I live by my morals to treat everyone as they treat me and others…**  
**  
** **I have Persevered even after all the terrible and painful garbage I have endured throughout my life, even after everything that people have done to push me back or keep me down…**

 

My Soul Symbol ignited, the white light from my vision completing what I had not seen: twin wisps of pure light emanating from my back, like tendrils, or even wings of light, that were pure and filled with love.

 

Wrapping them around Sans, I hoped with everything I had that I was not too late. Just to make sure, I pressed my lips to his in hopes that it would be enough to save him and everyone else.

 

Around me, the world was aglow with a purity the likes of which the natives had never seen before. In a small corner, a peaceful town with springs and beautiful greenery like nothing anywhere else, a human prayed for the survival of the monsters and smiled gratefully at the pure light in the distance.

 

“She is exactly what this world needed.” Frisk smiled. “I told you, didn’t I, my friend.”

 

Petals sighed gently, a smile adorning his face. “I never doubted you. She had to find the answer within herself. She has all the tools, Lady Ochena informed me of such. She just needs to find the self-confidence within her. Thankfully, she’s in the right place to get help with that.”

 

“Indeed. I wonder what else is in store for us.”

 

“Oh plenty, I assure you.” Blinking briefly, Petals eyes turned purple. “She doesn’t yet know there are two guardians in this world.”

 

“She will figure it out eventually.”

 

“Oh yes, I assure you she will.” He winked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What is your Soul Trait or what do you want to be your Soul Trait?**


	36. IF I COULD HAVE ONE REQUEST, ALL I WANT --- --------- IS YOU!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the purification successful, Rachel openly admits that she wants to be with Sans. How will the others take this information?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writer's block is evil! I am sorry this took so long. Posting will be one chapter every other week, on Saturday or Sunday. 
> 
> Arc 3 begins!

With the successful purification, I watched as the monsters woke up. After checking that enough were safe, would continue recovering, and would be able tending to their comrades, I began to focus solely on Sans’ recovering.

 

It took almost a week for him to finally open his eyes and regain consciousness. I was thankful that Asgore and Toriel were among the first to recover, so at least the paperwork Sans was missing would be done. But upon his awakening, it became clear there would be bigger problems.

 

“babe?” He gasped. I flinched in response, eyes widening.

 

“D-d-did you j-just give her a p-pet name?” Alphys shuddered excitedly.

 

“n-no, i didn’t!”

 

“Holy shit! I was right! Fuhuhuhuuuu!” Undyne guffawed.

 

“shut up!”

_Please be quiet. It’s too loud. My head feels like murder with all of this yelling._

 

“and apparently, murder is a feeling now.”

 

“Yep, it is.” I ground out, narrowing my eyes at the DinoFish duo.

 

“good to be back in the land of the living, so to speak.”

 

I snorted. “Is that a reference to your appearance?”

 

“maybe…” He winked.

 

I grinned and watched as he looked around. We were back in my room, the group of monsters all back to normal, including Mettaton.

 

“Thank goodness you’re alright, Sans, darling! I’m so sorry! They seemed to have used me to hold a trigger for that monster disease of sorts.”

 

I nodded. “Yeah, I figured that too. I saw it in a vision.

 

“mind explaining what i missed when you saved me and the others?”

 

“According to soul, I used all seven soul traits together to activate my angelic magic, which successfully purified the entire area. I managed to pull it off at the last second, too. Soul said if you had been completely taken over, all the other monsters would have been, too. I got a vibe that if you succumbed, it would be over for all monsters. Thank goodness I figured it out.”

 

**“And you figured it out without all the pieces to the puzzle. This was a test from your Mother, and you passed.”**

 

I grumbled, “I sincerely want to smash her in the face for this.”

 

~I’m sure you do, but please refrain from such violent urges.~

 

“Speak of the devil and she shall appear.”

 

~Excuse you, missy. I am an angel, not a devil. You want a devil, you know who to talk to.~

 

Lady Och was the image of radiance, covered in white robes with hair of sparkling black. The only color on her were her dazzling azure eyes that seemed to radiate just like mine. We shared that and the same hue of hair. She was basically a more graceful version of myself, covered in light and elegant. A true  _Lady_.

 

“The urge to punch you has intensified with your presence. Are you intending to show me up with your mere presence or do you have an actual reason for being here?”

 

~My, my, such a sharp tongue you have. And here I wanted to congratulate you on unlocking you angelic magic, but maybe I should shut it off again.~

 

“ _Mother!_  I don’t need your sass. I know you are the source of it for all worlds, but now is  **not**  the time.”

 

~Indeed I am. And perhaps you are right.~

 

I glared, tipping over, ducked under the covers, snuggling into the fluffy blankets beside Sans who appeared amused. “I’m going back to bed.”

 

~How rude!~ Mother cooed in amusement.

 

“You have a way of making me annoyed with your very presence. I’m doing you a favor by trying to get away.”

 

~You just don’t like it when people appear better than you.~

 

I covered my face, yanking the pillow next to me over my mouth and screamed bloody murder. The pillow muffled it just enough to not hurt my ears.

 

Mother giggled. ~Well, I will stop teasing you now. Have a good day and keep out of trouble.~

 

I grumbled out a “mhmm,” to which she giggled. After that, she vanished, her aura dissipating.

 

Pushing the pillow and covers away, I glowered at the ceiling. “I swear she enjoys picking on me more than anything else.” I turned to the monsters. “You do realize she’s where I got my sass. She basically poured all that sass into the entire south back home. Damn, the sass was toxic back there. Thank goodness I don’t live there anymore.”

 

“she’s definitely…interesting.”

 

I snorted. “Yes, she’s definitely  **that**.” I sighed. “So, what now?”

 

“W-well, the good n-news is that we have gotten reports that all of the monsters w-with the disease have been c-cured. It would a-appear that by purifying Sans, you purified e-everyone.”

 

“Makes sense. As king, he’s linked to everyone. The assholes who did this were hoping to take all the monsters out at the same time.”

 

“good thing they didn’t expect such a formidable ally on our end!” Sans grinned largely.

 

“Whatever you wanna call me is fine. I’m just thankful no one was lost. I would never forgive myself if I had failed.”

 

“i had faith.” He winked.

 

I chuckled, preparing to start nap. But a thought popped back into my mind.

 

“Hang on a sec! Sans, you said something before you passed out. Do you remember what it was?”

 

His entire face lit up. “uhhh…i mean, i think.”

 

I snorted. “I have that request. And since Undyne already figured it out and those fangirls will no doubt tell everyone,” I flashed angry red orbs at the giggling duo, “I have just this one request. Find a way to make  _this_ ,” I gestured between us, “a reasonable or right thing in terms of monster law.”

 

“uh…i’m confused.”

 

“Oh, right. Let me explain.” I yanked him to me, kissing him passionately. Releasing him, and staring into his shocked, completely azure complexion,  I cooed, “Now that I’ve got you within my loving grasp, I’m not letting you go!”

 

“Oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooohhhh!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you could meet any AU Sans, who would you choose?**


	37. WHEN IN DOUBT, CALL THE SUITORS FOR IDEAS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The suitors for the position of Queen of Monsters have waited long enough. What will Sans and Rachel do about this turn of events?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New character introduced:  
> Sabiya Gideon, Terrence Raza, and Fyra Krystalus were created by the amazing [Rajani_the_Freak](http://archiveofourown.org/users/Rajani_the_Freak/pseuds/Rajani_the_Freak).  
> Koianna Tancho and Rexia Lantis were created by [me/RTNightmare](http://archiveofourown.org/users/RTNightmare/pseuds/RTNightmare).  
> The elementals design were a collaboration of [CopyrightLink](http://archiveofourown.org/users/CopyrightLink/pseuds/CopyrightLink) and [me](http://archiveofourown.org/users/RTNightmare/pseuds/RTNightmare). 
> 
> Designs for the monsters [here](https://sta.sh/2qnjkb84y43). Any designs not included means they are unfinished.

“i have no idea how to do this.” The frustrated skeletal monster king groaned exasperatedly.

 

“Well hey, at least Asgore and Toriel are doing the tough work.” I winked. “Having them as advisors was a good idea, right?”

 

He grinned tiredly, “yeah, it’s easier on me and they don’t have a choice with  _royal decree_.”

 

I nodded, but my smile dropped. He caught on quickly, “what’s wrong?”

 

“Was I…am…did…do you even want me like I want you?” I looked down and fiddling with my nails. “I feel like I might have gone too far. You said any request and maybe I’m wrong to assume this is anything more than a crush to you.”

 

“wait, stop!” I looked up, my eyes brimming with tears. “you think…after everything you’ve done for me, and this kingdom, you think what i feel is  **just a crush**?”

 

“Well, considering how forceful I’ve been, and the reactions I’ve gotten in the past, I just assumed–”

 

“ **don’t!** ” He cut me off forcefully.

 

“What?” I looked up curiously.

 

“don’t assume.” He explained, voice softer. “don’t ever assume that from me. i’m not human. i’m not like those assholes who…i don’t even know the extent of what they did.”

 

“I was always too bold.” I explained, looking away as self-doubt took over. “I feel like I’m probably doing that again and you’re just too kind to just say it.”

 

“rachel,” he chuckled, relief apparent. “oh stars, you’ve got it wrong. believe me, if i didn’t want something, i’d avoid it or just force it to stop. i mean, you’ve seen me do that to you back when i didn’t trust you.”

 

He chuckled, wiping tears away from his own sockets.

 

I approached carefully. “Why are you crying?”

 

“i thought that maybe you were having second thoughts. but to hear you say that you thought that  **i** ,” He gestured to himself, pausing for effect. **“** was only doing this for the sake of paying you back…well, i’m relieved.”

 

“So you actually do like me?” I whispered hopefully.

 

“pffffffff! heh, heh, heh! ‘ **like** ’ would be an understatement. you saved me, but i only realized how much of impact you had on me and how much i…truly, and now unconditionally, love you.” his gaze turned a bit shy as he regarded me, cheekbones flushing that gorgeous azure I loved so much.

 

“it was clear when you helped me,” he continued, a warmth i hadn’t heard from him before soaking his words, “after i learned that i would have to stay the king. no one else could have helped me because they hadn’t felt despair like that. while it hurts to think you had been through something like that so many times before, i am thankful you were there to help me. you proved yourself by being patient and understanding. you waited for me. you didn’t just find the solution. you are the solution.”

 

Pulling me close and sighing as I returned his affection, we sat in bliss, enjoying the tender embrace. “i would be a fool to deny this, to deny  **you** , especially since it’s  _clearly_  mutual. i’m thankful that your request was to find a way to make it work. and i will find a way, even if it takes years to do it.”

 

“You do realize the world leaders will be very unhappy about that, do you not?” A familiar motherly figure intruded from the doorway.

 

We turned towards the door where Toriel was standing with a folder overflowing with papers in one hand, her other on her hip.

 

“uhhhhh,” Sans fumbled. “what’s up, tori?” Thankfully, he hadn’t bothered to release me now that we had been caught. Well, I wasn’t going to release him, either.

 

She regarded us with amusement, a delicate – and very sassy – brow quirked. “This is the folder with all the messages regarding potential suitors from across the Monster Empire. Everyone expects you to wed another monster, so if you plan to make Rachel your bride, you might want to come up with a reasonable reason for why you choose her over your own kind.

 

“This one decision could create chaos everywhere, I hope you realize. Your proposed reason does not have to be valid; you just need a good enough reason to keep the world ‘at peace’, so to speak, with the decision.”

 

“so, do you have any ideas?”

 

“Well, for one, you have kept these  **other**  potential suitors waiting long enough.” I narrowed my eyes suspiciously at Toriel’s word choice, but said nothing. “Those who have contacted are irritated by your lack of response. It seems Undyne received an angry letter on your behalf and asked for help from other palace staff. With the help of Alphys and some of the other guards, they replied on your behalf, letting them all know that their patience is appreciated and the new king is swamped with a lot of work – namely the issues of the monster disease and the rescue – and will get to the issue when possible.”

 

“Do they know there are good humans?” I inquired worriedly.

 

“Yes,” Toriel nodded, a twinkle in her eye. “Per Alphys’ suggestion, the report indicated that the Human Empire was divided by good and evil, that a mage working closely with the Monster Royality rose up, took control from the evil humans’ hands, punished them for their wrongdoings, and gave it back to Imperial Frisk, who destroyed the underground.” I smiled at Frisk’s new noble non-gendered title. “The Imperial is willing to speak on your behalf, and with the Monster King’s assistance, any issue regarding the humans will be cleared up.”

 

“so all the monster communities know frisk and their allies are not to be harmed?”

 

“Yes, the monsters living in the community of Veros Falls are willing to vouch for their human neighbors as well.”

 

“good. thank goodness undyne and the others were so quick to assist in this matter while i was out.”

 

“Indeed.” Toriel replied with a glare. “But now it seems that they are planning a visit. The newest letter was received a little after the Purification, while you were still out, and Asgore was quick to reply that he would set up a time as soon as you were well again, which you are. Given that, you have around twenty-four hours to prepare. We did not tell you anything until now in case you decided to procrastinate more of the issue. They will be here tomorrow night.”

 

“noooooo…tori, why?” He flopped backwards, sinking into the mattress.

 

“Sans, you  **need**  to stop avoiding the issue. In fact, I propose you use this occasion to your advantage. Find out what these monsters and their family’s want from you, besides the crown since that is the bottom line. Eventually, you will find a reason to wed a mage, if that is your plan. Although, you two should slow down for now. I agree that monster relationships are fast, however we are talking about the fate of the entire world. Additionally, if you are caught by one of the visiting nobles, trouble will swarm you faster than you can possibly imagine.

 

“While you two might agree to bond and wed, and if you both want it, then I assure you that I will be supportive, the other leaders will not thanks to their lingering prejudice of humans. They will need a big enough, strong enough, and sound enough reason to support you or there will be chaos all over the world. You are no longer a normal monster, Sans. Almost all of the decisions you make will have an enormous impact of the rest of the world.”

 

Sans subconsciously placed me in his lap, holding me to him while resting his head on my shoulder to think. I leaned in and did the same.

 

After a minute, I spoke, “For this event, I think we need to pretend to be King and Advisor. I get the feeling these visiting politicians or whatever will look down on me.

 

“Additionally, I need a backstory. Something like, ‘I was a mage found among the humans of Frisk’s community and ran away, being found by Dogaressa and being trained in secret. I showed potential and found a cure for Papyrus and the disease because I thought differently than monsters. I was found out by the king after I cured Papyrus. I later became a spy for Sans and rescued the captured monsters from the evil humans.’”

 

I looked at Tori hopefully. “It’s a similar story without revealing my real identity or how much power I actually have. I can say that the disease was created by negative energy and I used solar and lunar energy combined to destroy it. Given that Sans’ explanation of energy conversion happened before that, and Sans left his car at Veros Falls, it is the perfect way to have a reason to know it and tell the citizens the ‘backstory’ so they know what to say if these nobles ask.”

 

Toriel hummed thoughtfully, a smile on her muzzle. “Yes, and given all you’ve accomplished, you would be a hero to monsters since by saving  _his majesty_ , you saved all the other monsters, too. Very clever.” She smirked at Sans.

 

Sans, ignoring Toriel’s cheekiness, replied, “exactly! she is a  **hero**  to  **monsters**. that can be used to our advantage for the whole relationship thing.”

 

“Oh, what relationship is this?” I asked with a knowing smirk.

 

“you know…” Poor skeleton looked so unsure.

 

“Is that your way of saying you are afraid of calling it a potential marriage?” I jeered.

 

“i just didn’t want to be pushy!” He replied with a half-hearted shrug. I laughed, Toriel joining in much to Sans dismay.

 

“i do have to get my car, so i guess if we’re done discussing, i’ll go do that.”

 

“Indeed, this will do fine.” Toriel agreed. “For now, that is. You will need a backup plan, just in case.”

 

 

With the citizens of Veros Falls  _in the know_  when Sans returned to retrieve his car, and everyone in the castle being filled in on my backstory, position, and everything else as well, everything was set for the next day. Sans turned in early and spent the night with me, seeing at he probably wouldn’t be able to sleep the next few nights if he was alone in his own bed or worse, with another girl if said girl was the pushy type – I assured him the guards wouldn’t allow that.

 

The next day was a flurry of activity as the entire palace was getting ready for the supposed suitors and their personal diplomats to arrive. As guests to the king’s palace, personal guards were not allowed to prevent a coup – even with the power of  **Royal Decree** , it was better to be safe than sorry.

 

Additionally, we all agreed that I would stay silent unless spoken to, and would act as one of two of the king’s personal guards, Undyne being the second.

 

After showing her up, Undyne had been bitter. But after saving everyone from the monster disease, all bitterness vanished and instead she tried to improve herself to meet the standards I had allegedly set up. I decided I wasn’t going to correct her in case her anger and aggression returned.

 

At six o’clock on the dot, a series of high tech carriages arrived, decked in different designs to symbolize the various countries the arriving diplomats originated from. As they exited their vehicles, Dogamy and Dogaressa took turns announcing them.

_“Sabiya Gideon of Avium!”_

_“Koianna Tancho of Orientus!”_

_“Terrence Raza of Genus!”_

_“Rexia Lantis of Futurae!”_

_“Fyra Krystalus of Frigus!”_

_“And Igna Tetra, Aqua Tetra, Aetha Tetra, and Terra Tetra of Insula!”_

 

 

“Howdy!” Sabiya drawled pleasantly, getting up in my face. “Wowzer, you certainly  **look**  human, don’tcha darlin’! Well, ‘cept for that tail. I love what’chyer wearin’!” It took everything in my power not to gag or cringe at the southern accent – I left Earth from a state that housed people who had the same accent; this was torture.

 

“What’sa matter? Can’t speak?”

 

“It’s an honor to meet you, Lady Gideon!” I bowed.

 

“Awwww shoot! Don’t be so formal! I’m Sabiya, but call me Sabi!”

 

“You don’t need to treat the peasants like they’re your friends, Sabi.” The elegant fish monster dubbed Koianna cooed, mocking both of us. “After all, there’s a reason for ranks, is there not?”

 

“Paaaaaahaaaaaaaaaaaa!” Rexia, a loud noble, interrupted with raucous laughter. “Anna, haven’t you heard? This girl is the one who saved his majesty and, by extension, all of monsterkind! You owe her your life.”

 

“Don’t be foolish, Sabi. How could a mere human pull such a thing off?” She placed her hand, hidden in the sleeve of her kimono, to her lips. “She probably took the credit from someone else. A weakling like this could never amount to something like that.”

 

“She’s not a normal human, Anna! She’s a mage! Saved us all single-handedly and is the king’s personal guard. I’ve heard her powers are crazy awesome!”

 

“Hmph, oh really?” She got up in my face. “Why his majesty hasn’t killed you yet is something I will never know nor understand. Humans should be put down like the scum that they are.”

 

“I agree.” I muttered. “A lot of them should.”

 

“What was that, trash?” The fish sneered. “Did you dare reply to a noble of higher rank without permission? Where are your manners?”

 

“she’s actually my second,  _miss_ anna, and it would be good of you to show some decency. she’s more powerful than anyone i’ve ever known.”

 

We all turned to Sans.

 

“You are the new king we’ve heard so much about?” The fish noble asked with a sneer hidden behind her sleeve that went unseen by Sans, but was in perfect view for Undyne and me as we exchanged a brief look.

 

“i’m sans. and yeah, i was  _unfortunately_  selected as the new king. even with the rescue of asgore and tori, courtesy of my second’s power  **alone** ,” He paused, eyeing the fish monster in warning. “the royal status was not returned to them. but they are working with me to ensure this kingdom’s safety. additionally, i have received the most help from rachel, my personal assistant, guard, and a powerful mage.”

 

The glances between the visiting nobles were mostly frowns, with the only exception being the girl, Rexia, a tyrannosaurus-like dinosaur monster with dreadlocks pulled back into a ponytail, covered in a bodysuit like the outfits from “Tron Legacy”. Like a few minutes ago when she defended me against Koianna, Rexia looked far too excited and was giggling.

 

“Let’s get this party started then!” She cheered. I had to say, I appreciated her charisma.

 

“rachel, undyne!” We followed behind him, Undyne on his right, me on his left.

 

“status?” He whispered.

 

“Koianna is up to no good.” I whispered carefully back. He turned to Undyne who nodded.

 

“right, please follow.”

 

The two guard dogs were the only ones tailing the nobles. They growled in warning whenever one of the nobles tried to pass us to get to Sans. In my peripheral, I saw Anna twice, two of the elementals once, and the shortest of the lot, introduced as Fyra, once.

 

As we made our way to the dining hall for dinner, I narrowed my senses to sound and touch alone to keep track of anything ahead as well as hearing the nobles speak and anything else they might be doing that was unseen. I closed my eyes and focused carefully.

 

“I want to see what is so great about this rat.” Anna ground out in response to something I hadn’t heard.

 

“She’s not a rat if she’s his advisor.” The water elemental, Aqua tutted, her accident reminding me heavily of the British royalty back on Earth.

 

“I can feel her presence.” The gruff voice coming from Terra, Aqua’s earthy sister. “It’s enormous. Far bigger than even the king’s.”

 

“That just means she’s up to no good.” Like Grillby, Igna’s voice sounded a lot like her element if it could speak. “I say we test her.”

 

“Why would you test her and not the others? You’re all being racist, you know?” And just like her element, Aetha’s voice was airy. Hilarious.

 

“This castle is fabulous! All decked in purple here, gold there! So pretty!” Terrence said in with a forced feminine twang. It was painful to watch and listen to.

 

“I wish everyone would be quieter.” Fyra sighed. “Guests should behave properly, especially if they are nobles.”

 

“Awww, don’t worry, hon! They’ll quiet down eventually!” Sabi replied with a giggle.

 

“Oh wow, this place is so big!” Rexia cheered. “Running through the halls would be so fun!”

 

“Don’t you run around here! It’s not  **your**  home!” Koianna tutted, heavily implying a double-meaning. I was looking forward to ripping her smugness right out of her.

 

“I was just thinking it. I wasn’t going to do it! Yeesh!” I saw a lot of my youth in Rexia. I used to be a lot more excitable. Then people were assholes and depression set in.

_(Soul, I need a telepathic link to Sans. Keep listening in on them for me.)_

 

**(Understood. You can access a personal telepathy through one-time touch or eye contact. Feel that buzz?)**

 

In the back of my head, I felt a small bundle of static.

 

**(Good, now focus it into your hand. Wait for it to glow.)**

 

Without drawing attention to myself, I glanced down focused until a bit of white was dancing across my fingertips.

 

**(You’re good to go. To deactivate, simply stop focusing on the power. I’ll keep listening.)**

 

I glanced at Undyne and locked gazes briefly, a small white light flashing briefly within her slit pupil demonstrating a confirmed connection, at the same time, placing my sparking hand briefly against sleeve of Sans’ purple hoodie, letting the sparks soak into his Soul.

_(Don’t react. Can you both hear me?)_

 

(yep, you got something?)

 

(Whoa! That’s cool!)

_(Thanks, Undyne! I’ve been listening in on our guests. I can already tell that Koianna is up to no good. Undyne, you saw her sneer when Sans arrived, didn’t you?)_

 

(Yeah, it was like she was disappointed or something by his arrival.)

 

(sheesh, what a brat. good thing i’m used to it.)

_(I also know Terrence is acting out of character. He was way too forced, trying to be flamboyant to appear more feminine. I’m assuming it’s because he is a guy surrounded by girls and trying to impress you and gain favor, despite being the only male. He has a shyness he’s trying to hide.)_

 

(i see. anything else?)

_(So far, only Rexia seems like a truly nice noble. Fyra and Aqua might be the same, but both acted a bit stuck up. Fyra seems mature, but a bit condescending. She’s small in stature, so she’s probably trying to make up for her height in attitude. Also, I’d watch out for Sabiya. I can tell she might be a…handful, if you know what I mean.)_

 

(Yeah, she was making Dogamy and Dogaressa nervous. Does that chick know anything about personal space?)

_(Do you know you just punned accidentally?)_

 

Sans snorted, covering it up with a cough. (i’m so glad you noticed that and pointed it out, rachel.)

 

(Wait, how did I pun?)

_(Ugh, it’s ruined now. Basically, you called her a ‘chick’, and she’s a bird girl, so…)_

 

(Oh shit, no! I didn’t– no! Ugh, why?!)

 

It was incredibly hard to keep from laughing.

 

“What is going on up there?” The fish noble demanded. “What is so funny?”

 

“Ooh, was there a joke?” Sabi cut in. “I wanna know what y’all are jokin’ about!”

 

I turned my head so that my words would reach them. “Sans enjoys puns and jokes, and the captain accidentally made a good one. It was amusing since she didn’t mean to and didn’t realize it. But we caught it and her reaction to accidentally making it was  _humerus_.” Sans snorted. However, Rexia belted out laughing, surprising everyone.

 

“What was the pun?” Sabiya asked curiously.

 

We entered the dining room and several guards took over for the dog couple and showed the nobles to their assigned seating. Sitting down, I took the seat to the left of the head where Sans would sit, while Undyne took the right, I eyed Sabi casually.

 

“We were discussing our impressions of our honored guests to the king as we walked, and the captain ended up referring to you, Sabiya, as a ‘chick’. The irony is that you are in fact a very beautiful bird monster, and so it was an unintentional pun.”

 

The silence didn’t last as the bird burst into cackling. “Oh dear, you’re gonna make me blush! And that is hilarious! So many of my kinsman have used the same word when referring to me, but to use it in such a flattering way without even realizing it. Oh, that is a blessin’! Thank you, Lady Captain!”

 

“Of course,” Undyne replied, albeit unsurely.

 

“What else did you discuss?” Koianna asked behind her sleeve.

 

“Well, Lady Koianna–”

 

“It’s Lady Anna!” She interrupted fiercely, glaring dagger at me.

 

“My apologies, Lady Anna.” I amended. “I was remarking on the various fashions. I do love your beautiful kimono.”

 

“Yes, I see that you have a taste for my country’s fashion. Although, I find it distasteful that you would show off your cleavage so willingly.”

 

“To each their own, madam.” I replied, eyeing her under my lashes.

 

“Not if it is an insult to one’s way of life.” She countered.

 

“I daresay that I doubt it is an insult since it is I who is wearing it, not you.” I smiled coyly.

 

“Are you mocking me?” She scowled.

 

“Not at all.” I sat back in my seat casually. “I’m merely defending my right to wear what I choose. The only one who can judge me for my fashion is the king and myself.”

 

“How lowly of you to assume you have the right to address me as such!” She cried disdainfully.

 

“Oh?” I raised both my eyebrows.

 

“You should be punished for your disrespectful behavior!” She turned to Sans. “Will you continue to sit there and do nothing in the presence of such a disgrace or will you do the right thing and punish your servant for its bad manners?”

 

I couldn’t keep the smile off my face. This girl implied that her demands must be met because it was the ‘right thing’ to do.  _(How conceited.)_

 

(I know.) Came Undyne’s incredibly annoyed reply. (What a spoiled brat. That she’s a fish monster like me is even more infuriating.)

 

“lady, please shut your mouth.” Wow, not even an hour and Sans had zero fucks left to give. “you are the only one who is being disrespectful. and implying that my most trusted advisor is an object to be controlled at your whim instead of a person with feelings just like you is one of the highest offenses. i understand your feelings about humans and human mages, but i will not allow such misconduct in front of me. apologize at once or i will ask you to leave immediately. and i will send a formal note explaining that your rude behavior cost you your place in the suitors’ appeal.”

 

The surprise faded fast, and the noble was quick to regain herself.

 

“My apologies, Lady Mage, for my terrible behavior upon my arrival. I hope you can forgive my rudeness.”

 

I nodded. “Apology accepted. Thank you.”

 

This wasn’t over, though. Not by a long shot.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What's your favorite kind of monster from Undertale?**
> 
>  
> 
> PS: I also recommend you look at the latest chapter (chapter 6) of [Under the Spotlight](http://archiveofourown.org/works/13460709/chapters/30857538) for info regarding Atlantale. If you haven't read the fic at all, start with this chapter, as it is the first. ;D


	38. HERE BE PROOF THAT SANS NEEDS HIS SLEEP!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Suitor's Appeal has begun and Sans already hates the whole ordeal. What happens when Sans accidentally reveals his interest in someone else?
> 
> **(IMPORTANT NOTE: Somehow the next chapter got posted before this. I don’t know how that happened, but I am sorry. If you read the next chapter, read this and then that again. I apologize!)**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Mature: Strong language!**

After dinner, the chaos truly began. The real reason for why these nobles were here: potential suitors to be the future Monster Queen. The process of the suitor’s appeal took several days as each one had one-on-one time with the king so he could narrow down the number of suitors based off who made the best first impression.

 

From first impressions since their arrival, it became clear that most of these nobles only cared about the crown and nothing else. The tension in the air was clear after Anna’s apology, and the look of irritation of Sans’ skull turned to panic when Undyne and I escorted him after dinner. He looked to be in immense pain, like he if dying was the only way he could avoid this ordeal, he’d consider it.

 

“Their behavior is the reason you didn’t want anything to do with suitors or the appeal, isn’t it?”

 

“yep, it’s gonna be a real nightmare.” He sighed in exasperation, releasing a wheeze of air that he might have been holding for an hour or more just to remain in control. I had learned early on that skeleton monsters can hold their breath indefinitely since they don’t have lungs and therefore, don’t need air. They only need to breathe so they can speak.

 

“Just breathe, keep calm, and it will be fine.”

 

He gave me a look that told me he didn’t believe that for an instant.

 

“Well, at least the sooner you get this over with, the sooner they can leave. Right?”

 

“i doubt it will be  **that**  easy. they will probably be forceful until i pick someone because this is everyone who is, by their standards,  _available_. i will have to pick someone at the end of this.”

 

“Ohhhh…”

 

“so it’s really a matter of us figuring out how to make ‘us’ a good idea to them.”

 

“I’ll keep working on that, then.”

 

“please do, and hurry!” He pleaded, whipping out puppy eyes.

 

The stages of going through suitors was very much like how beauty pageants on Earth worked. There were five stages: general appeal, talent, knowledge, gift presentation, and finally, reasoning.

 

The General Appeal was all about making themselves look their best, both physically, mentally/emotionally, and socially – a suitor has to prove themselves compatible with the one they are trying to impress. Talent would be a showcase of whatever they were good at, the point being that they show off what makes them useful. Knowledge was about testing how much they knew in terms of politics as well as regular school subjects like math, language, writing, and so on. Gift Presentation was a way to show physical favor, often being trinkets native to their lands only, in hopes that the receiver would like a specific gift over others. And finally, Reasoning was all about explaining why a noble was the best suited to be queen.

 

Each suitor would go through the whole ordeal, lasting one day, from morning to evening, before the next suitor went the following day. The order went oldest to youngest, starting with Sabiya. Let the torture begin…

 

 

“Heya, handsome!” She strutted in, fanning her face with a fan.

 

“oh stars…” Sans cringed, gripping the arms of his throne tightly as the bird monster got up in his face.

 

“So, I may be thirty-four, but I’m  ** _loads_**  of fun! My boys always tell me so, but I don’t mind leavin’ them behind for your, precious!”

_(Should we do something?)_

 

(We’re not allowed to interfere unless Sans gives up the order to or unless she full on attacks him.)

_(Shit!)_

 

(you two don’t even know the half of it. oh stars, she’s touching me!)

_(Tell her to back off then!)_

 

“uh, hey, can you not…” He motioned.

 

“What? Ya don’t like me?” She pouted, despite having a beak.

 

“no! no! i’m just a bit sensitive and–”

 

“Oh, is that so?” She smiled lustfully, “Say, how about I do something for you?”

 

She bent down, her sharp beak angling towards his crotch.

 

(shit! she’s trying to blow me! help!)

 

It turned out that Sabiya was very lustful and had a harem of males who constantly fawned over her back in her home country. She only barely made the list of suitors, physically being a year younger than the maximum age of thirty-five – the Royal Suitor Appeals, that being the appeal specifically for the crown, worked with an age group despite monsters aging and different rates, so finding those in that age group was harder.

 

For Sabiya, we could tell she was very  _experienced_  with her ‘craft’, or one side, at least, which definitely made her being the oldest understandable. When Sans called for help, Undyne and I immediately got in between Sabiya and Sans since the poor skeleton had started having a panic attack.

 

Undyne took care of the bird noble while I took Sans out of the room to talk him down. Eventually, we came up with an agreement that there would be no physical contact beyond Sans leading a suitor around by a linked arm.

 

Sabiya’s talent was her sex appeal, so we ended up needing to skip that stage. Her knowledge of languages was her best skill thus far, and she was fluent in all of Natura’s languages as well as Portuguese, since a few books written in the language came into her possession. She was also very athletic, but her skill was nowhere near Undyne’s or mine, so privately, that score didn’t count.

 

Her gift was a feather-made hat, the feathers being from members of the royal family only. She explained that the tail feathers of her and her family were their greatest treasure. Unfortunately, the hat did not suit Sans at all.

 

“I think I’d make a great queen because I’m fun, loving, fun-loving, and have a lot of connections to some very powerful people that can help you strengthen the kingdom.”

 

“okay, thank you. i’ll take everything under consideration.” And that was it.

 

 

 

Surprisingly, Fyra Krustallus, the small fox noble that was barely half Sans’ height, was next.

 

“Hello again, your highness.” Sans cringed, and if the fox noticed, she didn’t show it. “So, I am twenty-nine.”

 

“really?”

 

“Indeed, and I use fire magic. As a native to the cold, fire is a necessity among my people. My family were the ones to harness fire magic from the elementals, thus making us the rulers of our country. We have very good connections with the elementals, too.”

 

“well, that is interesting.”

 

She grinned, her face puckering in all the right places. “Thank you, sire.”

 

“just sans, please.” He reminded gently, his face screwing in discomfort.

 

“Oh, my apologies. I meant no disrespect.” She pouted.

 

“no, it’s fine.” He tried to soothe, clearly nervous.

 

Fyra was far smarter than Sabiya. Her talents did not reside in one subject, which is beneficial if you’re running an entire country or more – she had skills to leave in the wilderness, had an artistic side, and was very quick-witted. Her gift was a necklace covered in various jewels that, according to her, had the greatest value, two of them so rare that they were considered priceless keepsakes.

 

“I believe it takes one of great knowledge and power to rule a kingdom. I have heard you are a truly intelligent individual who was just as great as before you became the king. I believe if I am chosen, we can combine our knowledge and power and rule this empire to be even greater than it already is.”

_(She certainly knows how to put on the cuteness factor, doesn’t she?)_

 

(yep. it’s unsettling.)

 

(At least she understands personal space.)

_(Please, Undyne! It’s becoming extremely hard not to laugh!)_

 

(i second that.)

 

(Oh, for stars’ sake! Would you love-nerds pull it together?)

 

(are we that obvious?)

 

(Yes.)

_(Good job, Sans! Undyne is grinning like a dork! How will anyone **not**  notice that?)_

 

(oops, sorry.)

 

(Eeeeeeeeee! I still can’t believe it! I totally ship it!)

_(Of course you do, fish bitch!)_

 

(Shut up!)

 

“Good evening,” Anna greeted with a bow.

 

“hey!”

 

“So, I am twenty-five just like you, and coming from a country where suitors are obligated to spend alone time with their potential match, I propose we take a walk outside.”

 

“uh, i’m not obligated to go with any of you alone. this is not your country and at the risk of a potential assassination, there needs to be a direct line of sight between my guards and me.”

 

“Oh, my apologies for the misunderstanding. What I mean is that it is so stifling staying inside. I don’t mind if they follow. I just wish to get to know you better while enjoying the outside air is all.”

 

“i…”

 

“What is the problem? I saw your garden. Your guards can follow at a safe distance and make sure to keep an eye out for danger, but a conversation between a suitor and their match should be private.”

 

(this girl is honestly the most annoying of all of them.)

_(A **gr**_ **_eed_ ** _.)_

 

(holy shit, you didn’t.)

 

_(I did.)_

 

She sighed, a fake dreamy one. “After all, whichever of us is chosen to be your mate should have some privacy with you, should we not?”

 

Oh, that challenging look she gave me pissed me off. But I had to remain ridgid. Don’t destroy the bitch...yet.

 

“What do you think, Lady Mage?” She pushed.

 

“That is for Sans to decide.” I replied evenly.

 

(rachel, no!)

_(I can’t challenge her, damnit! You know that!)_

 

(By any chance, how intimate have you two been?)

_(Undyne, now is not the time. I’m just hoping she doesn’t notice that we are both blushing at your stupid question! Seriously, you have terrible timing!)_

 

(Will you tell me later?)

_(Why would we–)_

 

(yes, just please help. she’s staring and i don’t know what to say!)

 

“Lady Anna,” Undyne addressed the demanding noble. “If we are to go outside, four guards will be stationed ahead of you and behind you. In addition, we will have guards stationed all around in case of an incoming attack.”

 

“I only assumed it was a precaution. Why would anyone attack…unless they’re humans?” She sneered at me.

 

“Dogamy and Dogaressa, please lead the way!” The captain ordered, ignoring Anna’s comment. The two jumped into attention and proceeded to wait for Sans and Anna, the latter immediately latching onto the sleeve of the purple hoodie. Sans stiffened, both hands in his pockets, no doubted fisted in discomfort.

 

Walking outside, we could hear the other suitors above, chatting away in one of the entertainment rooms on a higher floor of the palace.

 

“You made such a terrible impression, Sabi! All the men you’ve been with have done all the pleasuring! You wouldn’t know what to do! You are useless in comparison to the rest of us!”

 

“Oh hush, at least I’m not as tiny as you!” The bird spat back. “Even your chest is mediocre at best. An illusion that fits with your small body.”

 

“Would you both shut up? I’m trying to watch the action!” Rexia called behind her as she watched us from the window.

 

“What? Hey, what is going on?” Fyra growled.

 

“Anna suckered him into it, no doubt.” Igna huffed angrily.

 

“Well, that is unfair. I want to try that, too.” Fyra cried.

 

“You already lost your chance, little lady.” Rexia chuckled.

 

“Shut up, Dino Butt!”

 

“Wow, you’re so mature!”

 

“Ugh, you’re so irritating!”

_(I wish they’d shut up. I wish they’d all leave.)_

 

(i warned you this would be terrible.)

 

Anna turned into the most angelic of angels when she got her way, and that’s what showed the most. Sans barely caught on to any of her boasts, focusing on the sky and only making the occasional noises to show he was listening, even though he really wasn’t. He accepted her gift silently, a single pearl that was apparently her greatest treasure.

 

“I think as the noble whose family is the leader of the largest and greatest of all the countries, I would be best suited as your bride. Additionally, I believe my elegance and intelligence far surpass the others.”

 

_(Way to be a narcissistic bitch.)_

 

(is it time for bed yet?)

 

With her appeal done, it was time to retire.

 

 

 

The next day, the appeals continued. Rexia, a twenty-four-year-old like me, showed us that despite being the most energetic and loud, she was the best choice out of all the suitors thus far. The only  _problem_ , which it really wasn’t, was that she wasn’t interested in Sans or the crown. She openly admitted she was only here because it was her duty to attend.

 

Sans opened up to her a lot after hearing that, and even made a few puns. She found him hilarious, if her loud and raucous laughter was anything to go by. She also made it clear that everyone in her presence was an equal, engaging me and Dogaressa in banter. She was by far the most enjoyable of them all and became an easy friend before the day ended.

 

 

The elementals ended up spending more of their appeal bickering with each other than anything else and so their appeal was just as bad as Sabiya’s. With all the female suitors done and over with, Terrence, the youngest suitor who barely made the cut at twenty and the only noble in his region who fit the right age group, was the last to go.

 

Having been warned ahead of time on the first day that his flamboyant act was just that, Sans was quick to jump on the lack of honesty.

 

“bud, you’re trying too hard to be something you aren’t. we can tell that’s not really what you’re like. it’s okay to be a guy who is trying to appeal to another guy against other girls, but lying about how you truly are is not gonna get you anywhere with me.”

 

“I…I…okay. Sorry, I just…I’m nervous.”

 

“hey, no worries. i completely understand. out of the two of us, i’m pretty sure i’ve dealt with more anxiety the last twenty-four hours or so. so let’s drop all the nerves and just chill.”

 

Terrence laughed at that. “Yeah, you’re right. Those girls are mean, though.”

 

“yeah, i get that. hopefully rexia is helping with that. she’s really cool as far as i can tell.”

 

“Yeah, she helped me when Anna picked on me a few times.”

 

“well there ya go. i will be honest and say that i’m not interested in other males. but i wasn’t interested to begin with. it’s not anything you or anyone else did, although my dislike for the others waiting, escept rexia of course, has increased based off of their behavior. i don’t like how fake they act, which is partially why i don’t want you to act fake just to win. additionally, i’m not gonna pick someone who isn’t in it for me. i know those ladies who are here for the actual appeal aren’t being themselves, or, if they are, they only care about the crown.”

 

Terrence nodded.

 

“my point is that i am not going to pick anyone for a few reasons. they aren’t my type, they aren’t being real, and i am not going to pick anyone who acts like a fraud and cozies up to me so that they get all the power. if that happens, they’ll push people around and the world will suffer. i wasn’t born into royalty and i only became a noble when i was selected as the judge. i was gifted with a unique perception, and like hell will i let a selfish brat lead alongside me.”

 

“I get that. And I appreciate that. I have a question, though.”

 

“go ahead.”

 

“Are you interested in someone else? Someone who isn’t qualified to be a suitor?”

 

“heh, you’re smart, kid. yeah, i am.”

 

“WHAT?!”

 

All the women stormed in, led by Koianna.

 

“I knew it! I knew it! Who are they? Are they here?” Rexia looked this way and that, locking gazes with various people.

 

“How dare you play us?” Anna screamed.

 

“A most horrible turn of events, though I can understand your irritation!” Fyra tutted.

 

“We didn’t do anything!” All the elementals chorused together.

 

“Oh darlin’, why would you be so cruel?” Sabiya was tearful.

 

“wow, and just like that, i have no more fucks to give. i am  **done**  with this bratfest. sorry to cut this short, terrence. but hey, if you and rexia want to stay for dinner, be my guest. the rest of you, please get out of here. i have no more tolerance for any of your childish behavior.”

 

Well, I was right about him not getting any sleep.

 

“How dare you call me a brat?” Anna shrieked.

 

“Oh believe me, that is putting it lightly.” I muttered.

 

“Shut your mouth, peasant! I am the princess of my country and have connections and powers like you have never seen.

 

“Yeah, I don’t really care, Princess Bitch!”

 

“You’re just jealous you’ll never amount to anything! Royalty is for noble births only, you little cunt! Get it through your head you will never amount to anything of worth!” I flinched. “I will see to it that you are beheaded for your disgraceful behavior!”

 

It hurt to hear something humans from Earth told me so many times. However, if there was one thing I was good at, it was using sass and spitefulness to hide how hurt or anxious I was.

 

“Oh my goodness, you voice is so annoying!” I cried in dismay. “Can we get a sock and some heavy-duty tape or glue in here? I think it’s time to shut this brat up.”

 

“I can try to find something!” Dogaressa volunteered with a grin.

 

“Your highness, do something!” She cried, her eyes widened as she put her hands to her mouth as though she were an innocent princess waiting for her knight in shining…purple hoodie. I snorted at the thought.

(Of course, plead for the king to save you like you’re a damsel in distress. Whatever!)

 

He ignored her, turning to me. “rachel, i wouldn’t antagonize the crazy noble if i were you. it seems to be hurting her ego.”

 

That seemed to have done it. Anna whipped out a katana and unsheathed it, running at him with the intent to harm. None of the guards moved, too shocked to comprehend it. But as someone who was used to violence from my time on Earth, and whose mind was not affected by ‘herd mentality’, I didn’t hesitate.

 

With a short gasp, I intercepted, the dual halves of the moon blade in my hands, blocking each of three strikes before trapping the blade and her with it on the fourth.

 

“You will not harm the king!” I growled. “I will see to it that he is safe! Undyne, help me remove her!”

 

“On it!” Securing the struggling noble, the fish warrior began taking her away.

 

“No! No! I must become Queen!”

 

“Save it!” Undyne shouted authoritatively. “You lost all chances after you just attempted assassination on royalty. You have committed an enormous offense against the King of Monsters. We will be sending your father a message regarding punishment…”

 

I stopped listening to the struggle as I turned to Sans. “Are you okay?”

 

“yeah, i’m just a bit shocked. thanks so much.”

 

All the nobles except Rexia had returned to their assigned rooms. The dinosaur noble was watching us keenly, her grin growing larger and larger.

 

“It’s her.” She stated matter-of-factly. “You love her.”

 

“yeah, i do. but…we need a reason for why it would be a good idea for us to rule together.”

 

“Oh geez! That’s so simple! To bring monsters and humans together! Duh!”

 

…oh!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you could have a suitor OC in this, what type of monster would they be and how would they act?**


	39. HERE BE THE PERFECT REASON WHY SKELEMAGE IS THE OTP!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With the issue of suitors squared away - for now - we learn more about Esheye Telari, Rachel's title, who she is, and more. What mysterious things does the book containing Esheye's history contain?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The following chapter has info that goes hand in hand with another thing, so while some of it contains my beliefs, other things are there to make it more interesting. I'm not gonna say what is what. ;)

“I know everything currently happening in the world,” Rexia explained as she, Terrence, Sans, Undyne and I drank tea in the observatory. I hadn’t even known about the room until after Sans and I first got together. Hint, hint…

 

“So, I visit a lot of places because the stuff you hear on ‘the news’ doesn’t necessarily tell the truth,” the outgoing, futuristically-dressed tyrannosaurus rex noble continued, “and I always like to see and learn everything first hand.”

 

“Now that’s what I call  _noble_.” I joked with enthusiasm, earning laughter from the others. I would have added that that was the same as Earth, but I didn’t want to draw attention to my origin since that would imply I came from another world. I wasn’t sure how Rexia and Terrence would take that.

 

“Good one!” Rexia exclaimed with two thumbs up. “Anyway, I heard some rumors about a girl from another world that had powers and abilities never seen before, who saved the royals.” Never mind. “And after watching you fend off Anna, my suspicions were confirmed. You do have Soul Traits like any of us, but your Soul itself is different. I have some suspicions about that, but first…”

 

She eyes my chest. “I saw that symbol. It was a circle, and from the depths of it came a crescent moon-shaped sword that could split in half. It matched a description from a book that fell through a wormhole and landed on Futurae soil eons ago.”

 

That perked Sans’ curiosity. “explain what you mean, please.”

 

“It was written in a language that glowed, and only the most spiritual of people could read it. We found out that the language could only be read by a pure Soul.”

 

“That was the Language of Souls, then.” I concluded.

 

“You know it?” Rexia asked, though she appeared unsurprised.

 

“Yeah, I think I either created it in a past life or it was the first language created by Fate. I don’t have all of my memories back, but I’d bet on the latter.”

 

“Whoa, that’s so cool!” Stars filled her eyes.

 

“Thanks. Please, continue.” I urged.

 

“Right! It talked about a savior of sorts. Originally, that’s what we thought the word was. But it wasn’t ‘savior’, it’s was like a ‘guardian’ or ‘overseer’, or maybe a ‘protector’. But it wasn’t a ‘savior’ because this person wasn’t supposed to fix the problems others had. Just guide them to find the truth.

 

“The name of this entity was Esheye Telari,” I glanced at Sans and he nodded subtly in return, “and their name was used over, and over, again. The entire book seemed to be their history. But we could never figure out everything. When I learned about a strange person from another world, I thought that maybe you would know. So, I brought the book with me.”

 

Reaching into the bag she had brought with her, she pulled out an aged book that seemed to be older than time itself, but had been kept in pristine condition.

 

“May I?” I asked.

 

“Of course!” She handed it over.

 

The book was locked, a clasp with a circle but no keyhole holding it shut. “The book has an infinite number of pages. You could keep turning and it will not end. But most of the pages are blank. Only around ten have words and strange diagrams, half of them having been blank when we first found it. It seems that it chooses who it wants to share information with.”

 

“Huh, that’s fascinating.” Maybe this was why I had been sent here specifically. Or maybe it was sent here so long ago because I would eventually come here.

 

Focusing, I accessed my Soul, my chest flashing blue for integrity before glowing white. I waved my hand over the circle and the book clicked, springing open.

 

“Whoa!” Rexia and Terrence exclaimed in awe.

 

“i expected nothing less.” Sans declared smugly.

 

“Thanks,” I smiled at him as I let my Soul fade back to normal. “Now, let’s see what this book is all about.”

 

Sure enough, the book was filled with glowing words that shimmered every color even without moving the book, like you would have to do with holographic texts and images. It was like they were alive, and as I focused, I found their words easy to decipher. And what I found was amazing, satisfying, and made me feel whole; my history.

 

“Can you read it?” Rexia asked.

 

“Yeah, this is my history.” I explained, recognizing the Language of the Soul easily. “Who I was at what time and how everything came to be as it is now.”

 

“whoa, can you share any of it with us?”  _The scientist in Sans has awakened._  “don’t sass me.”  _Too late._

 

“can you share with us or not?” He repeated, grumbling.

 

I snickered. “Yeah, it’s my story to tell so I should be able to. Anything that I’m not supposed to share will disappear.

 

Let’s see…”

 

~

_I had been born to this world in the beginning of time and space, known as The Big Bang in the world I came from. However, seeing as time and space flow differently in different places, the amount of time having passed since the beginning cannot be accurately estimated._

_I was the First Soul, which is part of what Esheye meant. And while the angels that created the Council of G.O.D., and their subordinates, were assigned to watch the universe, and everything within it, which is what Telari meant, I was the one meant to protect it – that also included judging those who had done wrong, calculated by their spirits, which would shift to red and then black the more crimes they committed. Esheye had three separate meanings: The Judge, First/Original Soul, and Ultimate Soul/Being. Esheye was the second most powerful individual in existence, the only one more powerful was the entity, Fate, who had granted Esheye the power to Judge._

_Esheye Telari ultimately translates to Judge or Protector of All/Peace of All. It was my job to ensure that everything was balanced, which also meant that I had to master being unbalanced._

_When the ultimate evil tried to separate from the dark to take the light for themselves, Fate intervened. They became ++++, a being of pure darkness, nothingness, horror, and hatred. His other half, his sister, ****, was meant to contain him, but failed and was trapped within him._

_++++ created many evils and threw all the blame to his scapegoat and tossed him into Hell. He took control of the Council of G.O.D. by using his sister’s aura to shield his evil and persuaded them to choose various ======s that he could use as puppets to control the worlds. Additionally, he ripped Esheye’s memories from her._

_**** did the only thing she could. She hid a part of herself within Esheye and became a guide. **** gave her pains the likes of which no one would ever know, or be able to understand to help her. It was done to teach me to be balanced even when everything was wrong. By overcoming every struggle, I would overcome the darkness._

_Each life, I lived had a hardship of some sort. I had been in every position; a princess, a peasant, a thief, and knight, a warrior, a loner, a bringer of death, a protector of life, an angel, a demon, a deity, a fallen._

_I had invented reaping in a past life, having introduced the recycling of Souls instead of destroying them. Back then, I was Psythe, the first reaper, the Great Reaper. I have a twin scythe, almost like a pickaxe, instead of the traditional single-bladed scythe that all other reapers had. It was a testament in my honor, and the honor of the one and only moon blade._

_I had also founded the world named Telari, which was still out there somewhere, even after my departure. I had lived many lives in many times, often coinciding with other lives, but made unreachable so that I did not cross paths with myself._

_My current life was my last in the world of the living, it seemed, after having accumulated every power in existence in all my past lives. Now I would be alive until peace was successfully brought to every world and once I felt certain I could leave the world to safely flourish without me, I would proceed to the land of the dead…_

 

~

 

“I always knew this information deep down. I always knew I was different. For a long time, I feared that. But when I was old enough to understand, I realized being truly one of a kind was far better. I didn’t want anyone else to be like me. It made me so mad when I saw similarities. Even my name was common.

 

“Rachel. But my middle name was the most common for girls. Only my last name was unique, and I hated it so much, too. People mispronounced it all the time because it was Hebrew. Whatever, I changed it. I feel like myself. Rachel is me, sure. But Esheye Telari makes me unique. If I gotta be Esheye Rachel Telari, I will.”

 

Everyone nodded in understanding of my feelings. I knew I was born into the wrong world. I had reiterated that so many times before to different people back on Earth. None of them knew what to do, how to help, or anything. They couldn’t see it my way. Looking back on that, I could smile knowing I had been right, again.

 

“I just find it fascinating that as the first Soul, you Soul Symbol is literally created by combining the Symbols of everyone else who exists.” Rexia was trembling with excitement. “It’s like you are everyone and they are you.”

 

“Yeah, I’m one with everyone. That was purposeful, just like my being every kind of creature in existence at once is purposeful. I needed to be everything; good, bad, hate, love, everything in order to fully understand my place. With so many people in the entire universe, having the ability to empathize is necessary. I grew up having visions and feeling like I wasn’t meant to stay where I was. The name Esheye was something I had since my first memories, given to a special part of me that I thought of as ‘the ideal me’. Telari came to me when I started to realize the truth after so many visions of my past.”

 

“you started remembering past lives?” Sans inquired, his face alight with curiosity. Undyne smirked in his direction, not that he was paying attention.

 

I grinned. “Yeah, I always had a small amount of magic before I unlocked it here. It wasn’t nearly as amazing as what I have now, and I feel like I wasn’t nearly as amazing, either. I had the ability to sense more and I had higher perception than everyone else my age. What I lacked in social skills I made up with imagination more than anything. I created an entire world inside my mind, and it’s a little sad that that may have not existed.”

 

“what was that world like?”

 

“I’ll tell you this much. You were a part of it.”

 

My face must have looked a certain way because he blushed heavily. “There was another skeleton, too. I think I just have a thing for  _unique_ skeletons.” Leaning over, I placed my hands-on Sans cheeks and began pushing and pulling. “Yep, I have a thing for skeletons with more rounded features. I’m sure the readers can figure out who I’m referring to.”  _Breaking the fourth wall again, Rachel? Really? Does this story need that?_

 

“uh…what? who are you…” His eyelights glanced away.

 

“Don’t worry about it, though!” I cut him off. “You’re so adorable!” He blushed, but scooted closer so I could continue messing around. “Do you like that?”

 

“feels good.” He mumbled in what was probably supposed to be a nonchalant tone, except that his blushing intensified.

 

“Pfffff, yes!” Rexia giggled. “I totally ship it!”

 

Undyne gasped. “Are you an anime fan?!”

 

“Holy shit!” Rexia squealed. “Yes, OMG! Please, if you have any suggestions, tell me!”

 

“Wait! Wait! Before you go into fangirl mode, please tell me what you meant about Sans and my relationship being good to bring humans and monsters together.”

 

“Well, here’s what I would say! Tell the nations of the world that having an interspecies marriage between the king of monsters and the human mage representing the Human Empire is in their best interest since by doing so, peace between humans and monster will increase. You have the power to shut down any terrorism caused by humans since you’ve already proven that you can and you can tell monsters that by cooperating with humans, they have something to gain.

 

“Furthermore, if anyone retaliates with ‘but she’s not a noble’, Frisk can easily come to your defense as the ambassador for humans and claim that you are the noble representing all humans to monsters. As the Judge of the World, you’d be filling in Sans’ original job, keeping humans and monsters in check alongside the king, and you can empathize with both sides since you are everything, including magic and human.

 

“All you need to do is ask Frisk to grant you the rank of nobility in the Human Empire and you would be included in the ranks of all the other suitors, especially because you’re twenty-four, and therefore, are of age.”

 

“But what if they bring up something like ‘then why weren’t we made aware of your nobility’ or something like that?”

 

“Just say something like ‘the paperwork hadn’t gone through yet’ or ‘we wanted to give the monster suitors a chance so they know we care’.”

 

I turned to the skeleton currently texting on his phone. “Sans?”

 

“sent frisk the message. they’re typing a response now.”

 

Two minutes later, both Sans and my phone went off.

 

“Let’s see. Oh wow!”

 

Frisk had sent a group message with a picture of the paperwork detailing my noble rank in the Human Empire, as well as a congratulatory message. According to their message, it was sent to the computer in Sans’ office to be printed and stored when he could get it.

 

“well, looks like you’re now eligible as a suitor. which means that i’m saved from any additional scrutiny from the rest of the world, and with rexia’s help, i think we found a perfect way to make this work.”

 

“So, are you finally gonna tell me how far you two have gone?” Undyne pressed.

 

“Oh, I heard a rumor at Veros Falls that these two  _did it_  in the hot springs.”

 

Sans gasped, completely mortified. “how many people know about that?”

 

“Yeah, Taya said she wouldn’t tell anyone!”

 

“Oh shit! You two actually fucked?!” Undyne shouted.

 

“Shhhhh! Shut up, Undyne!” I growled. “It’s not that big a deal.”

 

“Yes it is. Tell me everything! What’s his dick look like?”

 

The room became at least two degrees warmer in the span of ten seconds.

 

“noooooooooo…” Sans moaned, his hood over his face. “whyyyyy…?”

 

Rexia turned to me and explained, “One thing you should know about monsters is we are really attuned to everything around them. If it wasn’t for the signals coming from Sans’ regal Soul and your otherworldly one, people would have just ignored it because that kind of thing happens a lot. If Sans was a regular monster, it would have received a ‘meh, whatever’. But the king getting it on with a foreign Soul? Now, that provided a lot of juicy gossip.”

 

“Ugh…damn it!” I sighed.

 

“nononononononooooo…nononononoo….noo…no!” Sans whines were muffled by his clothes.

 

“Fuhuhuhuhuhuuuuuu! Please, tell me everything you know! Alphys and I are writing a fan fiction about these love-nerds!”

 

“fuck!” Sans shot up and pointed a bone with a serrated tip at her throat. “no, undyne!”

 

“Holy shit! You have to let me read that when it’s done!” Rexia demanded.

 

“Shit! You know I will!” Undyne agreed.

 

“Sans, let’s get out of here!” I huffed as I stood.

 

“totally,” The blue-faced skeleton agreed. He halted in place a moment later. “uh, on second thought, help me with terrence. i think this  _information_  broke him.”

 

True enough, the giraffe monster was trembling, his empty teacup and plate making noise as his body shook. The poor guy looked like he’d seen a ghost, and not the kind this world was used to.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you have a legacy, what would it be?**


	40. THE APPLE DOESN’T FALL FAR FROM THE TREE; HENCE WE HAVE A ROOM FULL OF ASSHATS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to meet more nobles and they clearly are just as stuck up as their offspring. What will Sans and Rachel do to be in their favor?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess whose back to finally finish writing this story?
> 
> Do you know I had an ENORMOUS writer's block! Oh, but on an awesome note, the awesome picture that got me out of this funk is [HERE](http://rtnightmare.tumblr.com/post/172634360971/countertale-expecting-drawn-by-juju-at-cursetale)!
> 
> NOTE: THIS HASN'T HAPPENED YET, so this is spoilers...but it's pretty obvious it will happen. Thank you again, Juju! :D

The visiting nobles were quick to learn of the situation since Rexia, Undyne, and, soon after, Alphys were loud fangirls. So, naturally, the whole world soon learned about the relationship between Sans and me and my potential of becoming the Monster Queen even though I was not a monster.

 

Thus, a meeting to discuss the future was to happen within three days as that would be just enough time for the world leaders, the suitors’ family’s or guardians, to journey to Royal Center, the name of the kingdom that housed the king of monsters, or the Capital, as I put it to keep things simple.

 

However, as worrisome as this affair was, I was pleased when Frisk exited out of the last carriages which was marked with the symbol of monsters. This meant that Sans had personally sent her an invitation to this meeting.

 

Then there were additional nobles from lands without suitors, either because they were new to their duties after being recently wed or had no one that fit the suitor requirements. There were seven monsters like this in all, and they were two young couples and three singular nobles, two of whom appeared to be widowed while the last just seemed to be without their partner.

 

One of the couples reminded me of a polar bear version of Dogamy and Dogaressa, seemingly coming from Natura’s equivalent of Antarctica or Greenland. The other couple looked very much like French poodles; no doubt their origin as well, whatever it was called here. They came out of their carriage with their noses up and scowls on their face, whether because of the state of affairs or because they were naturally stuck up nobles was yet to be seen. The bears stayed close to each other and remained quiet, new to their role and visibly anxious from being away from home.

 

The last three nobles were a moose, koala, and a tortoise that reminded me heavily of Gerson. I was momentarily shocked when the moose greeted him by that name, revealing that the character and this turtle were one in the same. Apparently, Sir Gerson was the leader of this world’s South America, or Austelus.

 

The moose, Bullwinkle – much to my barely concealed amusement – was an old friend of Gerson’s, and was the current leader of Boreus, this world’s Canada. The leader of Sylvestris, or Australia, was a Koala named Coola. Apparently, she had a mate but they usually stayed home to keep the country safe. As Coola was a noble born into her role, she did most of any traveling alone.

 

Once everyone was inside the dining hall, Undyne and the guard escorted the suitors out, Anna having Guards 01 and 02 on either side of her so that she would behave.

 

“Koianna, my dear! What has happened?”

 

“Your daughter attempted to assassinate the king with a katana.” Undyne replied in her stead as each suitor went to stand by their families. “I have confiscated her weapon and will be discussing the appropriate punishment for her with you and the king after this is finished.”

 

“My daughter would never do such a thing!”

 

“Doctor Alphys has a tape of the events!”

 

Having seen this coming due to a vision earlier that day, we were prepared and Alphys was quick to project the footage on the wall where everyone could see. Sure enough, we could see the back and forth, which included Anna’s aggression towards myself, which eventually led to her trying to get Sans to come to her aid. He turned to leave right before she pulled out the katana and in a flash too quick for the eyes to follow, I intercepted.

 

“What? How did that human do that? Where did that weapon come from?”

 

I eyed Rexia and she nodded. We had discussed the reveal of the moon blade, since Rexia’s family would probably recognize it. She said that they had hailed Esheye Telari as a deity and would support me more if they knew.

 

“My weapon is called the Moon Blade!” I explained, activating my Soul Symbol and pulling the blade from within. Severing it in half, I took a stance. “It is a weapon only I can use, and furthermore,” I threw the blades up and stretched my arms out. They gasped, watching the blades fall. But as they reached my arms, they faded right through as if turning intangible on contact. “it cannot hurt me.” I concluded as they hit the ground by their tips with a clang.

 

Almost like I tugged on invisible strings, the two halves of the blade sprang back up, fused back and with a wave, returned to their rightful place within my Soul.

 

“I have used these blades to bring justice upon the humans who have wished to do harm upon this world and both its monster and human citizens. They will no longer be able to spread their stupidity to another generation and the human leader; Master Frisk has seen to their formal punishment for crimes against their people. Frisk has provided aid to monsters and humans alike and is a representative of the human empire, which is why they had a place at this meeting today.”

 

“Unacceptable!” The male poodle monster griped. “This world is controlled by monsters, and humans have no place in it. I have said it before and I will say it again. We must exterminate all the humans so that there shall be no more foolishness from their kind.”

 

“And yet it was a monster who tried to assassinate the king only a few days ago.” I replied, my eyes flashing red. “I will protect the king every time because he has shown me kindness and through that, I was able to help bring peace between humans and monsters.”

 

“Watch yourself, girl!” Anna’s father growled. “My daughter did nothing of the sort. That is clearly staged to make monsters look like the villains.”

 

“No, that was very much real.” Rexia’s father defended. “It is her job to bring peace to the universe. The Moon Blade is proof enough of who you truly are and why you are here, is it not, Esheye Telari?”

 

“You still believe that stupid book is worth something, you fool!” The fish spat angrily.

 

“Her Soul Symbol–”

 

“Shut your mouth and go back home if you plan to make a fool of yourself, you damn–”

 

**_“ENOUGH!”_ **

 

The room shuddered in the presence of my awakened angelic energy. I was angry! No, that wasn’t nearly enough to describe how I felt about the situation. I had dealt with enough confrontations where people acted like they were better and after dealing with Anna for not even three days, I was sick of this horrible behavior towards others.

 

So now, standing before a room of nobles, having seen it all, and having been  _beyond_  done with such spoiled and rotten behavior, was an angel that was far angrier, far more powerful, and with far less patience, yet far more control, than anyone in this world had ever felt before.

 

**_“I am tired of this kind of behavior. World leaders should not behave like spoiled children who treat others like garbage just to get their way. If you have an opinion, say it. But the moment you start acting like you know better over others is the moment it ends, because I have seen far too much of that garbage in my lifetimes and I will shut you down.”_  **I slammed my fist down on the table, the force sending waves of energy at everyone.

**_“None of you are children. None of you has the right be so disrespectful to anyone else. And I will show none of you any mercy if you act like obnoxious, foul, ignorant, spoiled, pathetic idiots who treat others like they should kiss your ass. This is a meeting to discuss the future, not a debate where you whine and complain and behave like children throwing temper tantrums. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”_ **

 

Silence followed, and having had quite enough already, I shouted,  ** _“ARE WE CLEAR?”_**

 

With a chorus of yes’s, I stepped back.  _“Good. Now_ let’s try that again.” The energy flowed back within me as I locked my now icy blue gaze with everyone who the warning was for.

 

“Now then, as the captain already stated, Lady Koianna’s punishment will be decided by the king and Lord Tancho. Getting back to business, we are here to discuss any issues related to worldwide state of affairs before we move onto the subject of the Suitor’s Appeal and all related issues. For now, who wants to go first?”

 

 

 

“Wow, that was intense, Lady Rae!” Rexia exclaimed. “Was that the first time you’ve done that?”

 

“In this life, it is.”

 

“Shhhhhiiiiiii-oooooooot!” Rexia’s father, Lord Tyrran chuckled behind me. “I said  _shoot_ , I swear!” I snorted, rolling my eyes.

 

Sans and the other current world leaders had decided that discussing the Suitor’s Appeal should be done between them alone. Having been the royals before, Asgore and Toriel were the only ones outside nobility allowed inside. In addition, Frisk was the only human allowed to partake as well. All of this also meant that the telepathic connection between Sans, Undyne and I would have to be disconnected, too.

 

Seeing that Lord Tyrran was present, it meant their discussion was over and a verdict had been reached.

 

“I just wanted to thank our new friend.” He moved to stand in my line of sight. “Thank you for coming to my aid, Lady Esheye. They call you Rachel in this life, yes?”

 

“Yes, sir. Thank you for remembering.”

 

He chuckled. “I had always hoped to meet the Judge of All in my time in this world. You have my deepest thanks and admiration. You are indeed true to the legends and stories within the book.”

 

“Your words mean so much to me. I am truly grateful to be in such good company.”

 

“Ohhhh, you flatter me! Well, we best be off. Good luck on whatever you and the king decide.” He winked.

 

With a final squeak of excitement from Rexia, and the promise to visit again soon, the Futurae nobles proceeded to the exit, the other nobles had already gone.

 

“Rachel,” Toriel called. “Please join us inside.” I grinned, making my way inside to find Sans, Asgore, Toriel, and Frisk still sitting at the table. Frisk had moved to sit closer and all four of them were staring intently at a piece of paper.

 

“hey, babe,” Oh, I liked that! “we wrote up a new agreement based off our discussion. come look.” Toriel handed the paper over and I read the contents.

 

**MONSTER-HUMAN ALLIANCE TERMS**

  *          _All monsters and humans are to be treated equally. Subjects treated poorly through any means of discrimination, fraud, or any other unequal terms will be subjected to punishment varying in degree based solely off the actions of their mistreatment, with no racial judgements involved._
  * _Both monsters and humans are eligible for noble rank and must receive rank from their country’s current government leader and a royal confirmation. In addition, a royal or a noble can appoint a representative to work on their behalf should they be unable to at any time._
  * _All citizens must be treated fairly by world leaders or said world leaders risk being dethroned for mistreatment of subjects. Only a royal may dethrone, so evidence of mistreatment must be put through fair trial._
  * _Eligibility to become a suitor for the king/queen includes age perimeter and background check before arriving for the Suitor’s Appeal. Suitors can be male or female, human or monster. Suitors are not to be judged on race or sex, and any suitors who act poorly towards their peers will be disqualified._
  * _The king/queen has ultimate say on the suitor, but must meet with the world council to agree. The king/queen must also deliver a speech with the valid reason as discussed by the council. This speech must be delivered within a month’s time or the chosen suitor will no longer be qualified._
  * _The coronation and marriage of the new king/queen signifies the new royal is in the same position as the king and has the same role and status in law and decision making as their partner._



 

Below the document were all the signatures of everyone who was present. I smiled as I looked at them all. It appeared that if the majority was for something, the others would have to follow. And after my demonstration, a lot of the world leaders had a change of heart.

 

“Wow…” I breathed.

 

“yeah, this is definitely progress.” Sans agreed with a relieved and hopeful grin.

 

“So, Lord Tyrran thanked me before he left and hinted at the verdict, but do tell me in detail what the ultimate decision for the Suitor’s Appeal was this time around.”

 

Sans snorted. “well, everyone agreed that you are now a noble by order of master frisk and myself, and since you fit the requirements, you were counted among the suitors. and considering all the other suitors left, i’m ninety-nine point nine-nine-nine-nine percent sure you won the appeal.” Shit-eating grin intensified.

 

I put my hands on my hips, “Okay, but what’s the point zero-zero-zero-zero-one of that percentage?”

 

“i don’t know.” He shrugged. “i’m just glad you won.”

 

“I know why!” Undyne barged in.

 

“oh really?”

 

“That’s the percent that stands for ‘you’re no longer a virgin’!”  _Right. And the percentage of deadpanning in the room is over nine thousand._  Sans snorted, having learned that meme after I informed him he might need it one night while he laid beside me.

 

“How about that’s the percentage where I get to do my Suitor Appeal?” I tried, punching Undyne in the shoulder. Surprisingly, she cringed. “Now, doesn’t that sound better?” I challenged.

 

“yes!” Sans shot up and started making his way towards me.

 

“Indeed, it does!” Goat Mom is all for  _noping out of the room_  right now.

 

“Yes, I agree.” Poor Asgore looked away, coughing in discomfort.

 

Frisk just nodded, too shocked to speak.

 

“Okay, awesome!” I cheered in a ‘let’s go do this right now’ kind of way. “Sans, would you like to take a walk with me?”

 

“sure, let’s go back to the observatory and i’ll show you some of the stars.” Oh yeah, it’s night right now.

 

“I’ll show myself out, then.” Frisk said after finally finding their voice.

 

“hey, thanks again!” Sans called.

 

“You’re welcome! I’ll be back for the coronation and wedding!” And with that, Frisk bade them goodnight.

 

Turning back to me, Sans took my hand, “okay, thank the stars.”

 

“Let’s go tell them to their faces. I’m sure those glittering specks in the sky would love for you to tell them in person!”

 

He laughed loudly. “wow, i love you!”

 

“Love you, too!” I smirked. “You still owe me a duel.”

 

“oh,” He paused and slumped a bit. “right.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you could be a monster, what type would you be?**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> I would be a skelly, because I'm skele-sexual. No, I'm not a necrophiliac. I won't just bone ANY skeleton. Gosh, guys! 8T
> 
> On another note, I do streams on [Picarto](http://picarto.tv/RTNightmare)! Come join sometime!


	41. AND SO, WE HAVE THE FIRST QUEEN THAT IS LIKE NO ONE THIS WORLD HAS EVER SEEN!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Rachel have a Suitor Appeal. Will everything go as planned?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My last name is blacked out for reasons. Lost story short: I hate my last name. It's dumb and people won't stop mispronouncing it. That's still the short version.

I learned that in the old days of Natura, the Suitor’s Appeal would take at least three days to, at most, one week. Well, Sans and I were quick to take advantage of that week and leave all the work to Asgore and Toriel.

 

They didn’t mind and Toriel was quick to explain that “as soon as you are wed and have finished your honeymoon, you’ll have to take over working again”. Asgore added on that “most of the work would be finished by the time everything was done so Sans would have no reason to complain about too much work in the future”.

 

It was their way of giving back to Sans for taking on their role.

 

And by the new agreement, Asgore and Toriel would be acting as the king’s representatives, and acting royals until after Sans and I returned from our honeymoon. The honeymoon would be very long as the bond made it a necessity to be alone with a new mate for an extended amount of time…for obvious reasons. I was sincerely looking forward to it.

 

During the appeal, we basically just learned more about each other while we cuddled, walked outside, or anything else available. When the gift came around, I decided to offer my knowledge of Undertale and more. He had the data from my computer; he just didn’t always know what to do with it.

 

“holy shit, that’s so bad!” He giggled upon seeing Underfresh. “oh stars, show me something else. i can’t handle the dorkiness!”

 

I laughed. “Okay, what about Underswap or Altertale?”

 

“i saw swap.” He coughed, clearly uncomfortable. “what’s altertale?”

 

“It’s actually a lot like this world! You are the king, and it’s the same story as Undertale except you and Papyrus switched places with Asgore and Toriel!”

 

“oh, heh, heh!” He sighed. “i miss pap!”

 

“Have you heard from him lately?”

 

“he sent me a postcard and metts asked for my permission to marry him.” He grumbled. “ugh, i told him i’d think about it.”

 

Papyrus and Mettaton had left before the Suitor’s Appeal because Sans didn’t want his brother to be hurt by any of the nobles. Mettaton had given him a list of the places they would go and promised to keep Sans informed if there were any changes and just so he could keep tabs. So far, they had sent videos and pictures of all the places.

 

“he’s having fun, so at least there’s that. his new position as ambassador is really helping.”

 

“That’s good. I know you have a hard time liking Metts for obvious reasons, but if he’s good to Pap…well, that’s what matters.”

 

“yeah, and i  **am**  considering it. i told him to wait another year or two and if pap is still happy, he can marry him on the third year.”

 

“Wow, that’s savage! Why did you say that?”

 

“because…i’m older, so i’m gonna get married first.”

 

“Holy shit! That’s…wait, when did you plan that? When did you tell Metts about that?”

 

“ummmm, i started planning around right before you went off to save asgore and tori.”

 

“Hang on, how long have you liked me?”

 

“well, i knew i had feelings for you after you helped me through my depression. but i started to have feelings a little after you saved pap. but because of personal shit and angry feelings directed at humans and stuff, i acted like an idiot. and i used aggression to hide it all. after how you helped me through the depression, i knew i needed to stop hiding and just be honest. but it was at the hot spring that i finally knew that there was no way i could let you go.”

 

I blushed heavily, it being due to a combination between his confession and his expression when telling me. The desire was real, heavy and made me aroused.

 

I covered my face and said in a muffled voice, “Damn it, you keep looking at me like that and what happened at the hot spring might happen again right now!”

 

He pulled my hands away. “what’s wrong with that?” He climbed over to straddle my hips, keeping my hands above my head. “can i  _help_  in any way?” His expression was challenging, but there was also intense arousal that I could see from his eyes alone.

 

“Damnit, you’re…doing the thing…ugh!”  _Hot!_   _Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot! Hot!_

 

He snickered, leaning closer.

 

“Sans, this is not the time to bang your fiancé!” Undyne stated at the door.

 

I shrieked and we separated immediately.

 

“damnit, undyne! why do you have to be such a cock-block?”

 

“Wow! Fuhuhuhuu! I never thought I’d ever hear you say that!”

 

“shut up!” He growled back.

 

“So, I came up here to tell you that tomorrow, you need to start writing the speech and deliver it as soon as you can or Rachel is no longer eligible! Better get on that!” She left the room.

 

“yeah, i know!” he called after her.

 

He sighed, turning back to me. “so, i know this is kinda fast.”

 

“Not really. A month is fast, a week is fast! Almost a year is not fast.”

 

“heh, i guess so.” He looked down, hands going into his hoodie. “but, uh, are you okay with this?”

 

“Sans, babe, sweetheart, honeybunches, you adorable skelly, you! That is not the question you should be asking!”

 

His shock gave way and he fell back laughing. “oh stars, i love your sass.” He sighed happily and sat back up. “okay, okay, c’mere!”

 

Sitting on a cushion with my back to the window, in sight of the camera, I waited. Sans took a deep breath and then looked me in the eye as he got down on one knee.

 

“rachel t______, esheye telari, whatever it is you wish to be called…ever since you came to this world, you have opened people’s eyes, lifted sorrows, saved lives, and granted wishes. you have become my best friend and someone who i can count on to help me at times when no one else can. so, will you rise from being my second to become my equal? will you marry me?”

 

I had lived a long enough time feeling like I would never be on the receiving side of that question. But here was someone who understood me, loved me, was wonderful, amazing and funny in the best ways, and was someone who I had loved before he had even knew my name…telling me he wanted me, too. And that he wanted me above everyone else out there. And he even got a ring that was so beautiful and unique to prove it.

 

I choked up, wiping at the moisture in my eyes and sniffling as I laughed to cover it up. I probably sounded ridiculous. “Oh Sans! Yes, of course, whatever it takes to convince you…” I laughed some more, wiping furiously at my eyes. “I’m sorry I’m a mess right now!”

 

“you’re not a mess. and even if you are, then i’ll make it my responsibility to clean it up so that you can continue to dazzle everyone like you have with me!”

 

That did it! Ignoring all sense of propriety and manners, I threw myself at him and sniffled into his shoulder. He held me close, holding me without judgement as I made a sobbing mess all over his hoodie.

 

“can i put this on your finger please?”

 

I stepped back. “Oh yeah, I never told you what the ring I always wear on my left-hand means.” As I said this, I removed it and placed it on the right instead.

 

“oh! well, tell me then!”

 

I grinned, my face red but my smile wide as ever. “It’s a promise ring. Because when life was rough, the world in my head…where you were, and the place where I went when my depression became so bad…in that world, you were there to help me through the pain, so the ring was a promise that I would always love you.”

 

His stunned face gradually changed into a loving one as he kissed the silver band resting on my left hand. “well, then think of this proposal as my way of reciprocating.”

 

I giggled tearfully. “Okay, I will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: If you could meet a CounterAU version of Sans, which AU would it be and why? (Examples: CounterFell, CounterSwap, etc) This is not a limited question, so if you answer CounterReaperTale, that works, too.**


	42. I ALREADY TOLD YOU THAT THERE IS NO WAY I’M WALKING DOWN THE AISLE IN A DRESS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel talks with her parents, which she still has immense animosity towards. Sans understands there's a lot of pain there, and wants to help her after everything she has done to help him. Can Rachel be healed or is it too late?
> 
> DING DONG! It's wedding time! Will everything go smoothly?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Look at that, two summaries in one. Lol! Enjoy!

A lot of things happened in a short amount of time. The first was Sans’ speech, which he received Mettaton’s help with after telling the robot he had permission to marry Papyrus after Sans and I had returned from our honeymoon. Metts was so grateful, he went out of his way to be extra helpful with preparations for the royal wedding.

 

Sans speech and decision received a lot of support around the globe and having added that I was Esheye Telari seemed to gain more support. There was only two groups of people who didn’t like the decision, and they didn’t even get the full story. Those people were the monsters of Orientus, and humans from Earth.

 

“Who is the groom?” My mother asked when I showed the ring.

 

“Not telling!”

 

“What are you wearing?” My dad asked upon observing my attire. I had ditched my favorite long sleeve blue shirt that had slits that exposed my shoulders for my battle suit, to show power over elegance. “And I’m glad to see you look so healthy.”

 

“Thank you. This is my battle suit! Last time I wore this, I was ripping people a new one!” Basically, my angelic wrath, but I wasn’t going to tell them that.

 

“Are we invited to your…wedding?”

 

“Maybe. Maybe not.”

 

“What? Why not?”

 

“What about walking you down the aisle and having the father-daughter dance?”

 

“You do know I disowned you after all the dumb mistakes you made. Or did I not mention that? You failed at parenting twice, so you lost that right. I would say that maybe you should listen to your child when they tell you something’s wrong, but honestly…that time already passed. Just make sure you don’t screw up with Don even more, okay?”

 

“But…”

 

“Oh stop! You messed up and that’s the end of it. If you are incapable of changing yourself, you’re not fit to whine about not getting your way. That was ultimately the issue; you didn’t change. And that’s the end of it. I’ll consider inviting you only to watch the ceremony, but forget about walking me down the aisle or any paired dancing unless I ask.” I sighed. “I have to go.”

 

“Okay, please call us again.”

 

“I might.” I clicked it off.

 

“angry?”

 

“Oh, ‘angry’ doesn’t even begin to cover it.” I did air quotes as I scoffed. “I gave them so many chances to do better but as they say, ‘you can’t teach an old dog a new trick’. They were forty when they adopted me.”

 

“i’m sorry.” He took my hand.

 

“No, don’t be. After all, you were the one to save me.”

 

“what do you mean?” His head quirked.

 

“Just by being you. By giving me a chance instead of locking me up or killing me. Why did you do that?”

 

“well, for one it’s not normal for a human to just fall from the sky. that was the first indication i got that you might not be human. and then you were injured, nearing death, and something in me just broke when undyne came in with you. she started shouting and was freaking out that ‘she knows us’ and i was just curious. you looked so broken, both physically and emotionally. your face, the expression you had as you lay unconscious in the captain’s arms, covered in your own blood…you looked like you had given up.”

 

He sighed. “that’s what i saw when you came after me…after tori and asgore told me that i had to stay as king. i saw you and i remembered your face, and i broke inside. and i felt your emotions in your soul, that intense need to help, the patience and care. it was startling, coming from you. i know from your soul alone that you have been pieces of you shattered, always only having yourself to turn to because so many let you down. and you were let down in so many ways.”

 

“Yeah, people judged me because I wanted to be with ‘fictional characters’. I was only interested in humans so that I could feel love, but I knew for a long time I could never end up with a human. It wasn’t right, especially after so many of them had hurt me. But I had also met humans who had been through similar situations and I had a resolve to help them because ‘no one deserves to be in pain like I have’. I lived a life where I was put into situations that I was pressured into taking the blame and no one stood up for me. Well, that’s not true, actually. Only one of my friends did and she will always be my friend. Anita was her name and she was my friend since kindergarten.”

 

I smiled at the memory of her. “But,” I grimaced. “The main issue is that my senses and emotions are so much more overwhelming. If a normal person were to switch places with me, they would probably go insane.” I sighed, shaking my head to rid the emotional stress. “Anita was smart, though, and stood by me.”

 

“will you tell me more about her and how she helped you later?” He asked gently. “i want you to be happy now, so just hold onto it. focus on the here and now.”

 

I smiled and nodded. “Thank you.”

 

“you’re welcome.” He replied. “and for the record, i want to know everything. we’ll have a lot of time in the future, so we’ll get through all of that then.”

 

Having someone who was interested in me in a way that wasn’t just skin-deep was refreshing and was even healing the broken parts in my Soul little by little. As preparations continued, the happiness I had longed for my entire life began to take over more and more.

 

 

 

“I am not wearing a dress. I already said that. No dress, no white, no traditional anything! I hate normal!”

 

“But darling,” Mettaton pouted. “You only have one wedding! It needs to be perfect!”

 

“Yeah, so it will need to be by my standards!” I folded my arms. “I showed you the designs!”

 

“Oh, very well!” He strutted away just in time for Sans to sidle up beside me.

 

“was he trying to make you wear a dress again?”

 

“Yep,” I popped the ‘P’.

 

“i told him that he should not push it. i saw the basics of the design because they said that the only parts of tradition you would keep were the superstitious ones.” He smirked.

 

“Yeah, yeah, so I’m superstitious and don’t want bad luck! After twenty plus years of bad luck, can you really blame me?”

 

“nope, which is why i only had a look at the basic design, which was just how it would fit on your frame. nothing more.”

 

“Thank you,” I kissed right between his eye sockets. “I need to go check on some arrangements. Oh, how is the planning for the bachelor and bachelorette parties?”

 

“good.” Oh, that beautiful blue blush! “still can’t believe that is a thing. heh, it’s kinda amusing.”

 

“Don’t you mean… _humerus_?” I wiggled my eyebrows as the shit eating grin appeared on my face.

 

His sockets widened as his jaw dropped, showing his pointed canines and glowing blue tongue. “damnit.”

 

I laughed, walking off with a small pump of my fist –  _victory_!

 

The days passed and a date was set. To my delight, it was on Halloween, which was not a celebrated date on the Natura calendar, but would become one each year starting this year and on.

 

After thinking about it and discussing with Mother, immediate family and cousins would attend the wedding, but would not hold special roles as per my wishes. In addition, they would leave Natura with only vague memories like specific moments instead of people so that the US government couldn’t try to infiltrate and hurt anyone in Natura, or worse.

 

Mother would take care of transporting them to and from Earth, bringing them through an in-between dimension first before going to Natura and using a special kind of magic for their memory that I wouldn’t have to worry about expending energy.

 

My bachelorette party took place in an alternate reality a week before the wedding itself. The world was a version of both Earth and Natura where everything was far more beautiful and neither humans nor monsters as we knew them existed.

 

The whole day was spent with my cousins and best friend in several springs, and jumping from one waterfall to the other. Because gravity was different, standing on water didn’t make you sink immediately, and the waterfalls didn’t just flow down, it was fun and we were quite adventurous.

 

“You excited?” Anita asked.

 

“Yes, I’m sorry you can’t make it for the wedding itself.” I sighed.

 

“Yeah, trust me. I tried to make it. I had to pull some strings to even come to this.” She replied sadly.

 

“It’s okay. I know you tried, and that’s what I choose to focus on. Thank you for being a part of my life.”

 

“Always, Rach. Always.” We embraced, and I was hit with nostalgia as my childhood memories took over.

 

 

The week went by faster than anticipated and finally, Halloween was here. And while the Natura citizens were confused by the name, they ended up calling it that as well since I was so enthusiastic about it. It also made sense since Halloween was the day that monsters came out to mingle with humans, and even though it was about how humans wore costumes to frighten monsters away, I saw it as a celebration of bringing humans and monsters together instead. I told everyone as much and they were happy to use it.

 

A knock came to my door. “Come in!”

 

“Rachel?” My mom walked in, followed by everyone else.

 

“Wow, you look beautiful.” My cousister, that being a term created because we were more like sisters than just cousins, Zora squealed as she rushed over to me.

 

“How did you get your hair like that?” Bri, my other cousin and Zora’s sister, questioned as she began to lightly pet my hair. They originated from New Jersey, so it made sense that we were close seeing as I grew up a few states below them in Maryland.

 

“Oh, your outfit is amazing!” Lexa, another cousin on my dad’s side, but who live in California, breathed in awe.

 

“So, who are you marrying?” Elise, the youngest of everyone and Lexa’s youngest sibling.

 

“You saw him. He’s the smaller skeleton guy from Undertale!” Zaden, the middle child, informed his sister.

 

“Well, whoever he is, I’m just glad he makes you happy!” Jane, my oldest cousin, and on my mom’s side, gave me thumbs-up.

 

“I’m sorry Nick and Mack couldn’t be here.” My aunt, Marley put in.

 

“No worries. I’m glad you all are here. How about we let the people who haven’t spoken yet tell me one thing that has happened since I left. Uncle Jim, Aunt Sam, Uncle Arnold, Don?”

 

All of them took turns speaking and just catching up. When they were finished, I filled them in with bits and pieces, making sure to keep it vague.

 

“Wow, so you’re going to become a queen?” Don asked skeptically. “Do you actually love the guy?”

 

Eyes widened, they flickered to red and before I replied, I shot an enormous plume of fire to my right, thankfully out of an open window. I could tell it startled people, because there was a commotion outside.

 

Soon after, there came a knock. “babe, are you okay?”

 

“Yes, I just got a little angry at something insensitive my brother said. He was always a bit vulgar and mean, so we didn’t always get along. Tell everyone there was an issue with heating and I quickly fixed it. Nothing to worry about.”

 

“alright, i’ll let them know. i’ll be waiting for ya when you come down the aisle. thank goodness i get to wear my colors. i’m sick of purple.”

 

“Same here!” I grinned. “I’ll see you there. Love you!” I narrowed my eyes at Don.

 

“love you, too!” He walked away and I turned to my family.

 

“I will explain this as non-aggressively as I possibly can with just the image of certain individuals already triggering my anger. I hate most humans from Earth because of all the shit they did to the planet and to each other. I will not hesitate to wipe the planet from existence when the time comes if people don’t stop acting like selfish, snobbish brats who think they know better. By allowing you to take part in this event, I expect you to be respectful,” I narrowed bright red eyes at my brother. “Say something stupid or hurtful again and I’ll have you out of here with or without your limbs before you can fully comprehend what happened. I don’t want to hate people more than I already do. There are those standing here right now that I have no hatred for, I promise you that.”

 

“But some,” I glared demonically at the people who raised me and my older brother, “have crossed far too many lines, far too many times and honestly, they have not yet paid the price in full for their idiocy. It goes to show that some people are not fit for certain roles. If you don’t learn from your mistakes and only continue to make the same bad choices again and again, it will come back to haunt you. Point is,  **you’ve fucked up**! Fuck up one more time, and I will see to it that your due punishment is far more severe than anything you can possibly imagine.

 

“But that is to be expected when you betray a child you are obligated to help as many times as you have. I have been far too merciful and shown you far too much leniency. You don’t even know the half of the pain you have caused me.”

 

I breathed in and out, my eyes flashing back to the calming blue that fit my attire. “Now then, this is my wedding. Enjoy yourselves, have fun, watch the interactions and please pick up on social standards or just don’t talk to anyone else because quite frankly, I don’t want to worry. I know some of you will be fine and might even make friends, but I still worry. This is  **not**  your world. Keep that in mind.”

 

As if she was listening, a knock came at the door and Undyne stepped through.

 

“Hey, it’s time! You look great!”

 

“Thanks! I like to think I know myself – and what looks good on me – better than anyone else.” Yes, it was spiteful. But I didn’t care. I had given them my warning and that was all there was to it. With a forceful crack of my neck that startled everyone, I followed her out, my human family close behind.

 

“That was out of anger, wasn’t it?”

 

“It was a gas explosion.” I nodded subtly.

 

“I see. You’ve got this. But send me a signal if you need help.”

 

“Trust me. If I’m seeing red, you’ll know. Literally.” My eyes flashed briefly before cooling once more.

 

She nodded. “Understood.”

 

She led us to the door out into the garden where twilight was only just beginning, and the sky was a mass of color.

 

Turning to me, the fish monster gave a bow. “Lady Rachel, your Mother will be here momentarily to walk you down the aisle as per agreement. I will escort the Earth humans to their seats.”

 

“Thank you, Undyne.” And she led them out without another word.

 

A few minutes later, Lady Ochena arrived, her angelic light shining from behind.

 

~You’ve been rather harsh.~

 

“I could have been worse.”

 

~Oh, I’m well aware. And I know you have shown them great mercy after everything. But try not to let their naivety ruin this day for you.~

 

I breathed in and out. “You are right. Thank you.”

 

~Are you ready to evolve from a Miss into a Misses, Queen Rachel Aster?~

 

I chuckled at the Pokemon reference, the conversation of last names that I had had with Sans replaying in my mind. We had both decided that I would just take his last name, Aster since it sounded fine after Rachel. Some names just don’t work.

 

“Yeah, I think I am.”

 

~You think?~

 

“Oh, you know what I mean! I’m sure I want Sans as my partner in life. I just haven’t processed it yet.”

 

~Oh I know. I was only teasing.~

 

“I know you are. You invented sass and decided to smother the entire southern United States with it.”

She laughed, and it sounded like a bell.

 

~You are the spitting image of me in some regards. But you are also someone that no one else can be. You grew up with such little confidence in yourself. But now, do you think you are deserving of what you have?~

 

“I…have made mistakes. But so has everyone, including you. I have worked hard to help people despite so much stacked against me. So, yeah, I think I deserve this happiness. I think I deserve Sans,  **this**  Sans, and I think I deserve to finally be happy.”

 

~Good answer! Now, let me walk you down the aisle and into the arms of the one who has healed you just as much as you have healed him.~

 

Pushing the doors open, he was the first one I saw, clad in blue and yellow for his Soul traits and looking sharp in a suit…yeah, that’s my prince charming!

 

Hand in hand, I walked to the music. It was not the wedding theme I was used to, which was good. In fact, I heard bits and pieces of Sans’ “Megalovia” and “The Song that might play when you fight Sans”. I almost snorted, my lips twitching weirdly instead.

 

Handing me to Sans, dressed in royal garments that contained all of his colors, a large crown with purple, blue, yellow, black and white jewels scattered around, Lady Ochena ascended into the heavens where she would be  _supposedly_  watching the rest of the ceremony. I rolled my eyes at her antics, feeling her presence in the crowd of onlookers moments later.

 

Asgore stood as minister and regarded us both with a gentle gaze each before going into his speech. He spoke briefly of the events before I came, what happened when I had arrived, and what the relationship between Sans and I had blossomed into. It was very moving and I would periodically feel Sans grasp on my hand tighten briefly, like he was recalling the memory as it was told.

 

“…And so it has been an honor to watch these two Souls grow closer, forming an emotional bond that is beautiful and one of a kind.”

 

He paused and looked to Sans. “Do you have anything to say, King Sans Aster?”

 

Sans cringed. “i’m contemplating saying no just for that reminding me of the title,  _asgore_.” He shivered and there was a few giggles behind us. “but i’m not gonna do that to rachel, and i do have a pre-written speech that i memorized, so…” He paused. “well, i am a comedian  **first** , so memorizing speeches is easy. nowhere near as difficult all the paperwork i have now.” More laughter.

 

“okay, okay…enough jokes.” He grabbed my hand and the sound of a wet fart from the whoopie cushion he pushed against my hand went off. I could barely stand up as laughter shook my entire body. “nailed it!” He had to hold me up now.

 

When the laughter subsided and I finally managed to stop giggling, Sans began. “rachel, as asgore already said, your arrival here was not ordinary by any means. what started off as a girl plummeting down into the ground from the heavens, bleeding to death, turned into a breakthrough for this world,” He turned to the crowd and with a stage whisper, said, “and i’m thankful that i had the foresight not to make any reckless decisions.”

 

After a bit more laughter, he continued, “you have brightened this castle considerably. your natural, sassy attitude made for some very interesting times for everyone, especially when we were talking with others from the other world the first time. you have shown great empathy, fast wit, and just proven yourself in so many ways. and most importantly, you gave so many people hope. i’m one of those people.

 

“you’re my best friend, someone who i doubt i’d be okay without, and honestly, i’m just thankful for your presence. because as crazy as you might be sometimes, you’re not afraid to do the right thing and you come in,  **magic**   **blazing** , if ever someone needs help. this world definitely needed you and still does. and i’m stoked,” Snapping his fingers, his eyes ignited with blue and yellow flames for a moment before calming back down. “that you chose me.”

 

There was applause and when it was over, Asgore took the reins again. “Thank you, Sans. And now, if Lady Esheye Rachel Telari has any words?”

 

“Ohhhhh, you better believe I do.” The crowd chuckled as I breathed in and out. Locking my eyes with Sans’, I began, “My speech was not written or rehearsed, though, because it will be as spontaneous as I am. I will not pretend that I’m perfect because let’s face it, that’s a lie if I ever did hear one.” Soft laughter. “But we bond with people not because of our talents or because of what people like about us. We bond because we feel a connection. Even before I came here, I had a connection to Sans because I lived in a world where he and others existed in a different way.

 

“Sans and I share a lot of similarities, but we also share a lot of differences. However, it is because we can respect those differences, and come to each other’s aid in times of true pain or need help that it helps us deepen our relationship. I have lived a very painful life, but even before I knew him as he is right here, standing before me, he was helping me cope in a situation I would not wish on anyone…because it was that terrible.” I could feel the negative energies of the Earth family I left behind.

 

“Sans showed me that there  **is**  hope. As someone who has hated people in the past because they were cruel, I won’t stand for cruelty, disrespect, or discrimination. In the past, when I was treated in such a way, no one did anything. Or no one who could do anything, did anything.

 

“But it is different here. I found people who stood by me, respected me, and helped me get back up. And so I have been, and will continue to protect them as well, because I believe in giving back to those who have earned it, which this kingdom has. It’s the compassion that was almost non-existent where I was before that I gained here that truly has helped me heal. The people where I’m from could learn a whole lot just by showing more compassion. After all, with his mere presence, Sans has saved me. Because even with something as simple as a smile, the world brightens considerably. And I, for one, adore his smile.”

 

With our speeches done and over with, Asgore finished up with thanks to both of us before continuing.

 

“Repeat after me: I, Sans Aster, King of Monster, take you, Rachel Telari, to be my bond mate and lawfully wedded wife, both in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.”

 

Sans quirked a brow before nodding. “i, sans aster, king of monster, take you, rachel telari, to be my bond mate and lawfully wedded wife, both in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.”

 

“And you, Rachel–”

 

“I got this! I, Esheye Rachel Telari, noblewoman, take you, Sans Aster, King of Monsters, to be my bond mate and lawfully wedded husband, both in sickness and in health, for as long as we both shall live.”

 

Asgore chuckled. “Very good. The ring?”

 

“Got it!” My engagement ring would turn into a wedding band with this seal. It was good because I didn’t want to wear two rings; it would be too much of a hassle.  
  


Slipping the silver band onto the ring finger of his left hand, I grinned like a dork to myself knowing this skeleton was now mine and mine alone.  
  
  
"And finally, Rachel, please take up position here. With the rod in tact and the silver orb that represents a world at peace, repeat after me." I repeated Asgore word for word, promising to lead the world into an era of love, peace, hope, and prosperity for all its citizens. With the oath complete, a delicate silver circlet with blue, purple, black and white jewels was placed upon my head.   
 

“I now pronounce you husband and wife, as well as King and Queen of Monsters, Sans and Rachel Aster. The time for the Soul Bond will occur shortly, so for now, enjoy your first kiss as a married couple.  **Congratulations**!”

 

After our first kiss as a married couple, we were escorted by Asgore and Toriel to an empty room where only they would witness our bonding.

 

For Sans, his Soul was an inverted and upside-down heart like in the original Undertale. For me, however, my Soul Symbol melded into the shape of a heart, filling in the center as it turned blue to showcase my dominant trait of Integrity, a sheen of sparkles – like a rainbow – surrounding it, and protruded out to meet Sans’.

 

By pulling each other into another kiss, our Souls combined as well and seemed to created fireworks as we shared our memories, completely ignoring the chaos on the other side of the door as we enjoyed each other’s presence.

 

Separating, I looked up at my new husband. “The party is going to be so hard. After that, I just want to rip your clothes off you.” In my head, echoing over and over, was ‘this skelly is MINE’ accompanied by ‘holy shit, I’m going to the bone zone’ and finally, ‘this is a thing now – yesyesyesyes’. In return, were an echo from Sans that I felt inside me. After a moment, I realized I was hearing his thoughts through our new link. This was going to be interesting.

 

He snickered. “you must have read my mind because i couldn’t agree more.” We laughed together embraced once more, more fully and completely, before anyone could get in our way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Who is your least favorite character in Undertale?**


	43. THIS IS THE PART WHERE I WANT TO PAUSE THE CELEBRATION AND COME BACK TO IT WHEN I’M NOT HORNY AS FUCK!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The wedding continues. Sans and Rachel are now linked, which leads to a lot of sexual thoughts, much to Rachel's chagrin. The two also finally have their duel. Who will win?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **You guys are getting this a day earlier than the DeviantArt peeps because I will be on a plane then, I might forget to post it, and Ao3 doesn't have a schedule function like DA does. DX**

The Soul Bond was basically a sharing of everything, including thoughts. To say it was embarrassing was an understatement to the highest degree. But thankfully, it was both ways, so hearing Sans’ thoughts on everything was a treat. Especially if they were  _humerus_.

 

From the bond, I gathered that this hyper awareness of each other would go away with time. But in the meantime, I was having a hard time trying not to think about embarrassing things like kinks, positions, and other sexual fantasies. Sans wasn’t helping either, as he found it so funny and entertaining that he added to the list of things to try.

 

“Sans, no!” I groaned while laughing.

 

“sans yes!” He wiggled his brow bones, leaning in with that shit-eating grin he now knew I adored immensely.

 

“What are you two sharing through the bond?” Toriel inquired with a delicate yet amused expression.

 

“NOTHING!” I squawked, and Sans doubled over.

 

“Is it really that bad?” Toriel questioned.

 

“Mmmmmmmmpppphhhhhh!” Steam was literally rising from my face. “He’s not helping, either! He’s totally instigating!” And that was so canon to fan fiction, too.

 

He shot back up, “holy crap, i gotta read that!”

 

“Noooooooooo!” I fell forward into his arms, still laughing even through my frustration. He was laughing with me.

 

“Don’t worry, dear,” Toriel said to Asgore, who appeared beside her with a skeptical look. “They’re fine!”

 

“I’m aware, my love.” And they proceeded to nuzzle.

 

“Gross! Get a room!” I sassed.

 

“what she means is let us find a room.” He elbowed me in the side as he snickered. This bold fucker, I swear! Sans laughed, leaning on me for support, using my kinks to imagine different scenarios.

 

I gawked, with an irritated, “Agh!” Followed by a, “Sans, why would you…no!” He was too busy trying not to fall over.

 

“I swear I will find a way to mess with you! You’ll be at my mercy!”

 

“Well, thankfully this party will only last a maximum two hours because the bond necessitates that you are left alone for the next few months.” Toriel informed.

 

I grinned. “And I’ll have plenty of time to exact my revenge!” I cackled.

 

“damn, that was creepy.” He voice grew higher in pitch as his mouth quirked.

 

“I practice a lot. Y’know, because I love having people know how insane I am. It makes them more likely to fuck off. Also, it’s Halloween! I can cackle if I want to!” And just to prove a point, I cackled again.

 

“Oh my stars! Stop! You can do that later!” Undyne said with an eye-roll. “For now, let’s party!”

 

And so we did. A lot of traditions were ignored or shortened, like the parent dance and speeches. There was still the cutting of the cake and first slow dance, which showed that Sans could dance. And when more upbeat dancing came around, he proved to have a lot more moves than I originally thought. He was showing off and taking advantage of the Soul Link, but I didn’t mind.

 

I gasped. “Y’know, we should have that duel now!”

 

He blinked, confusion clear. “what? really?”

 

“You promised me a duel.” I reiterated hotly.

 

“okay,” he sighed. “okay.”

 

I turned to Mother Ochena to inform her only to see her already on it, a terrifying smirk on her face.

 

~Ladies and gentlemen, monsters and humans! May I have your attention please?~ The crowd turned to listen to the angel as she gestured towards Sans and me. ~These two are about to duel, as was promised a while ago. Yes, I know this seems odd. But trust me when I say that my daughter is anything but normal. Please cheer both of them on.~

 

With that, the area shifted courtesy of angelic magic. In place of the party room, we were in a battle arena of sorts. The ground was flat and while it appeared there were walls, there appeared to be no way to touch the, the space too large to reach them; an illusion, if you will.

 

~I hope you two are ready.~

 

I looked down at my attire to see that it had shifted to my battle outfit. I grinned and gave a thumb-up.

 

“mind if i get my…that works.” Sans’ attire had shifted to that of his outfit from Undertale, minus the basketball shorts and slippers. His cargo pants and the blue high tops were there in place.

 

~Without the encounter, no real damage will be done. One of you must be trapped to win. Are you ready?~

 

“Yes!” “yeah!”

 

I shuddered as a familiar tune began. “Noooooo…” I glared daggers at Mother, who only grinned and made the ‘go ahead motion’ as [Determination](https://www.deviantart.com/users/outgoing?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnLdQR36AqI) played. Flipping her off, I returned by gaze to Sans, who appeared confused. However, that all changed as they lyrics began.

 

_Count me in unannounced, drag our friends on the tile_

_I just follow your trail_

_You can't just follow my smile_

_All of your sins are aligned with this mood of mine_

_Cutting me to the bone_

_Nothing left to leave behind_

_You outta reset right now, just like it never happened._

_I didn't come for a fight but I will fight till the end_

_And this one might be your battle, might not turn out okay_

_I know you think you can kill me, but you’ve already lost the gaaaaAAAA_

_AAAAAA_

_AAAAAA_

_AAAAAA_

_AAAAME_

 

To say Sans was surprised to hear what was supposed to be him singing was one of the biggest understatements of the century. After the first two lines of lyrics, with which he was too shocked to move and I was too embarrassed to do anything, we both shook off our ‘feelings’ and began the duel. Because of how  **in-sync**  we were, we matched each other’s blows effortlessly. We took to the air above everyone immediately, using magic to keep ourselves airborne.

 

_And I LOVE the way you “hurt” me_

_It’s DETERMINATION, oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on trying_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on dying_

I alternated between weapon usage, the elements, light and dark magic, and body enhancement magic. I didn’t use illusions because he would see through them now that we were linked and I kept my mind away from other ideas by focusing on him alone. Thanks to my spontaneity and lightning fast reflexes, I could easily hold my own against his bones, blue magic, and teleportation.

 

Sans was fast, powerful, and full of surprises. Using only bones, he could deflect most attacks sent his way. Additionally, he could use his Gaster Blasters to shield himself and blue magic to slow attacks down or cancel them. He learned immediately that Karmic Retribution had no effect on me, so unfortunately for him, that wasn’t used.

 

_I'm gonna break you to pieces just like you were your brother_

_Gonna kill you again, just like you killed your own mother_

_You’re a fool with no past, say goodbye to your future_

_Pay the fee, do it kid, I'm talking no inflation_

_Too many stab wounds and not enough items_

_Too much time in the hall, I feel my sins start to crawl_

_Too many freaks not enough blood in the game._

_You know I’d give your LOVE a four-letter name._

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

_Eh eh eh eh eh_

He managed to get behind me using a distraction of his Blasters and teleporting, holding me against him, both arms under my breasts, much to my surprise and unneeded arousal. When struggling the normal way proved useless, I had decided I waited long enough to hold myself back from the skillset I had earned by bonding to him. Getting out of his hold by using his sensitive abdominal area and a bit below against him, I dropped from his grasp as he shuddered.

_And I LOVE the way you “hurt” me_

_It’s DETERMINATION, oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on trying_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on dying_

I smiled, using all my knowledge of Sans – and his alternates – to ensure victory. Tapping into Error, I created wire and bound him, using his blue magic to keep him still. Calling on Esheye to hold the strands while I worked, I called on Ink, creating a cage around him.

_You kill me again._

_Again and again._

_But I come back knowing so much more_

_Learning all your tricks_

_I’ll make you sick, cause the truth is Sans,_

_I’ll make you QUIT_

Tapping into the Void, I called out a few Blasters – these being altered slightly by my magic and aura, much to Sans’ shock, and had them corner him. Finally, I combined my Moon Blade with a bone, to create a bone scythe.

_Try to stay frisk, please just stay frisk_

_You’re still good good, admit to this_

_Don’t fight anymore, it’s such a snore_

_One more step, and I'll make it war_

_I still LOVE the way I “hurt” you,_

_It’s DETERMINATION, oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

_Oh oh oh oh oh oh yeah_

I was behind him in an instant with his teleportation, one hand secured around his waist, the other holding the scythe to his skull.

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on trying_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way_

_I LOVE the way you keep on dying…_

 

“you are a dangerously clever lady, aren’t you?” He murmured to as the song faded. “i’m so lucky.”

 

“I have to consider every option. You could have used our new bond to tap into my power as well, you know.”

 

He chuckled. “i didn’t think about it. and by the time i began to try, it was too late. that bone scythe is quite fascinating.”

 

“I’m glad you think so.” I grinned, letting all the magic vanish.

 

“interesting song, too.” He grinned, much to my chagrin, as we descended. “from the knowledge you gave me, i can fill in the blanks. that a human tried to imitate me is something. though we can both agree that isn’t what i sound like.”

 

“Shut. Up.” I glowered, only making him grin wider.

 

“maybe i’ll sing for you some other time. what do ya say?”

 

“Sure.” I put my hands on my hips. “I’ll hold you to that.”

 

He stiffened. “hey, i said maybe.”

 

“Which really just means  _yes_.” I asserted.

 

He huffed but grinned, shoulders shaking with contained laughter.

 

As the party room shifted back and our formal wedding attire returned, he pulled me against him, kissing my forehead gently. “you are the most amazing individual i have ever met.”

 

“I could say the same for you.” I replied, planting a soft peck to his cheek. “I’m lucky to have you.” He chuckled, grinning down at me.

 

 

 

Soon the festivities came to an end, and the first question I asked was, “So where are we going?”

 

It turned out that every country had their own various honeymoon spot that needed to be rented out in advance. One of the countries only has two and one of them was made available just in case. Sans had jumped on it since it was in Futurae and, as king, showing favor towards the nobles who were so kind to me and everyone else at the capital would make the other countries react and do the same. It was a great move, and with the advanced tech and island location, it was perfect.

 

I found out on the ride over that dreams were shared, too. With both of us on vacation, Sans wasn’t going to drive, so we were chauffeured and could sleep on the way there. Our dreams melded together into a warped and indecipherable mess. And the dream started and stopped together.

 

“mmmmgh,” Sans grumbled under me. “who has dreams that are that intense? i’ve heard all about bond mates sharing thoughts, but wow…”

 

I yawned, not lifting my head from his white t-shirt. Being off-duty meant that he could return to wearing the clothes he wanted, which was basically the attire from Undertale. The only change, again, were the pants, since I personally had a grudge against shorts for reasons that originated from Earth and with the Link, he knew that. So, it was black and blue jeans and cargo pants for daily stuff except beach and water based stuff, which would be the gym shorts since they were light weight.

 

“you sleep well?” He mumbled, one eye open, the white lights gazing down at me as I lifted my head.

 

“Yeah, but not enough.”

 

“i feel ya.” He breathed, his hand on my back rubbing soothing circles. “we’ll have plenty of time to rest when we get there.” He sighed. “i’m looking so forward to that.”

 

I grinned. His natural laziness was showing.

 

He snorted. “you know it.”

 

Putting my head back down, his ribs rising and falling as he breathed was soothing. I had questions about that, which he no doubt knew, but that would come later.

 

“Welcome to Futurae,” Lord Tyrran bellowed when we arrived. “A land of advance technology and ingenuity!”

 

“thanks for having us!”

 

“Ha, ha!” His enthusiasm was refreshing. “You’re too kind! Right this way!”

 

Entering another vehicle, the dinosaur noble and his daughter told us about the spot we were going. It was away from the mainland and was fully stocked with everything needed. If anything ever ran out, a touch screen was the best way to let the stocker on the mainland know and send it our way without disruption. It would appear in the refrigerator within twenty-four hours. However, we needed to be sure we had enough between those times, so waiting till the last moment was a very bad idea.

 

“You’ll notice that the effects of the bond require alone time, so you’ll have the whole place to yourself. And while other countries have between four to eight of these spots, ours is unique because it’s about specified comfort to whomever is using it.”

 

“Thanks so much, Lord Tyrran.” I beamed. “This means a lot!”

 

He guffawed, “You are very welcome! From the looks of you two, if you don’t come out of there with an extra surprise, then we need to upgrade the space.”

 

I blushed heavily, too shaken and surprised to know what to say. Sans was in a similar state, covering his face as his shoulders shook with mirth. The old monster just laughed heartily.

 

We arrived at the location ten minutes later. “You two have fun and please take all the time you need. Also, this was designed to withstand intense magic, but knowing you two, there are possibilities. Just be honest if you break something so future clients don’t come in to a broken facility. No worries about it.”

 

And with that they were gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Who is your least favorite character in CounterTale?**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Mine is a tie between Will and the former Human Empire chairman...obviously.


	44. SO, LET’S SEE HOW MANY DIFFERENT WAYS WE CAN FUCK EACH OTHER!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Rachel do the smut. Can you guess what eventually happens?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 90% smut with a little humor here and there. If you're not into that...sorry.

“so, what are we doing first?” Leaned back on one of the sofas, Sans had a hooded gaze and even without the Link, was super obvious.

 

So, to mess with him, I grabbed the top sheet of the bed and jumped in. “Sleep!”

 

He gawked. “wow, not what i had in mind.” I blew raspberries at him and he snorted in response. “eh, i could sleep.”

 

Walking to the other side, he joined me and was quick to be the big spoon. “oh look, i captured a  _human_.”

 

“Shut up! Don’t start sassing me! This is my vacation, too!”

 

He snickered, inching his hands up from my waist. “No.” And higher still to my ribs. “I’m warning you!” And with a snicker as he breathed on my neck, he cupped my breasts. “You bad skeleton!” He cackled, wrapping one leg around me to bring me closer.

 

“sorry baby doll, i can’t help it anymore.”

 

I groaned. “Okay, after one round, you let me sleep.”

 

“why aren’t you horny like me right now?” He narrowed his sockets. “no, it’s not that. you’re being difficult ono purpose. why?”

 

“Because I’m really messed up when I’m tired.”

 

“well then, c’mere and let me fix that!”

 

“Oh…oh!” He toyed with my clit, chuckling in that sexy voice of his. “Ohhhhh, wait!  _Ahhhhh!_   **Okay** , you win!”

 

“i’m glad you can see it my way! now then, these clothes are annoying and heavy.”

 

“Well then,” I sassed. “What do you suppose we do?”

 

He growled. “Mmmm! Mmm…oh, that’s…” I moaned. “Keep doing that!”

 

It wasn’t long before we were a tangled mess.

 

One round turned into five, which might have been a new record for me. And let’s face it, we had a lot of time and with how much we desperately wanted each other, it made sense. After the fifth time, we collapsed and fell asleep.

 

I was the first to wake up. Whether that was because I had spent years taking care of my lusty side so that it didn’t tire me out as badly, or because Sans was just being his normal ‘lazy bones’ self, I didn’t know nor care as I smiled gently at his sleeping form.

 

Making my way into the kitchen, still in the nude, I grabbed some chocolate milk from the refrigerator and began to drink it straight from the carton after shaking it. The sweetness was perfect and with the dryness in my mouth, the liquid was so satisfying.

 

I yelped, almost spilling milk on me, as I felt a pair of arms wrap around my torso. I didn’t have time to turn before Sans began nuzzling into my neck, his breath tickling my sensitive skin.

 

“Sans?”

 

“i got an idea…shower.”

 

“Oh heavens, your mind is back in the gutter.”

 

“eh, it’s been that way since before we got here. i’m ninety percent sure i’ve had a consistent boner since we bonded.”

 

I quirked a brow. “Is that uncomfortable?” Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh!

 

He snorted. “no, just strange. and you leavin’ the bed woke me up.”

 

“More like me leaving your side woke you up.” I huffed in amusement.

 

“same thing.” He growled into my hair.

 

“Is someone getting territorial and possessive?” I sing-songed at him.

 

“maybe a lil’. i was told it would happen.”

 

“Well then, at least that means you’ve got eyes for me only. I feel so special right now.” I bat my eyes at him.

 

He laughed. “have i ever told you i love your sassy nature?”

 

“Yeah, a few times, one of them being in front of the wedding guests. You are pretty sassy yourself.”

 

He hummed, pulling me closer. “i’ll take that as a compliment.”

 

“Go for it. It was.”

 

“back to bed now.”

 

“Let me put this milk away.” It vanished in a blue light. “Cheater.”

 

“meh.” He stuck out a blue tongue and began coating my shoulder in blue saliva. “bed!”

 

“Fine, fine!” And he teleported us back.

 

* * *

 

 

The first few weeks was mostly us trying to connect on an intimate level, otherwise known as  **constant sexual intercourse**. We were quick to find each other’s weaknesses, kinks, sensitive areas, and ticklish spot – Sans still needed to be given boundaries for that one. It was  **my**  fault, though, as I was the one who started a tickle war.

 

As the bond began to settle after a little over a month, there was less fucking and more of other kinds of intimacy. And sometimes, we both needed alone time.

 

One day, I was drawing and my mind was elsewhere. Sans walked in and started chuckling as he watched over my shoulder. I looked up at him in confusion before turning back to the picture and shrieking in horror.

 

“good to know you’re so fond of me.” He giggled as I tried to hide the pornographic image of him and I.

 

“I wasn’t even thinking about it.”

 

“oh, i know.” He winked. “but i think your mind is trying to tell you something. shall we?”

 

I had no reason not to and so, blushing, I took his hand.

 

 

A couple days after, I woke up to a peculiar sight and removed the blanket to find not one, but two blue dicks protruding up from between Sans’ legs. Payback time!

 

Angling just right, I sat down so that I had one cock in my pussy while the other entered my ass. Sans groaned, grasping my hips, but not waking up. I grinned.

 

Rocking back and forth, I found the perfect pace as I watched him pant, grunt, and moan as he came undone in his sleep. Falling forward onto his ribs, I breathed air gently into the spaces between his bones. He shook and held me close, thrusting up to meet me.

 

I felt his knot as he got closer and by the time I came undone, he had fully knotted on both ends and was pumping his seed into both openings.

 

“hmm, what?” He mumbled. “weird dream.” I giggled, and he narrowed his eyes as he peered at me.

 

Soon enough, he registered what was going on.

 

“Someone was awfully pent up!” I said, wiggling my hips so he could feel.

 

His yelp turned into a whine, “why would you do that while i’m not conscious?”

 

“Payback for teasing me about that accidental porn!”

 

He growled. “well, now i wanna feel it while i’m awake!”

 

“ _Ahhhhhh!_  Oh, oh  **baby**!  _Mmmmmmmmm_ …”

  
  


Two months passed and one morning, I had an enormous revelation.

 

“HOLY SHIT WHAT HAPPENED TO MY PERIOD?!”

 

Sans jumped, knocking his phone to the ground. “wh-what do you mean?”

 

“I haven’t had my period since I got to this world! Is that supposed to happen? What if this has affected my body in a way so that I can’t have children? Oh shit! I didn’t think about it and now I don’t know how to get in touch with Mother and Soul decided to take time off…SHIT!”

 

“what’s a period?”

 

“I can’t answer that until I have the answer…I’m freaking out!”

 

“ohhhhkay, calm down! c’mere! relax!”

 

“I can’t!” I sobbed.

_BZZZZTT!_

 

I snatched my phone and read the text from  _Mother Ochena_.

 

“Oh…so apparently I reproduce like monsters do. Okay…”

 

“so you were freaking out for nothing?” He asked with a smirk.

 

“No! It was a valid reason to freak out!”

_BZZZZZTTT!_

 

I glared at the text. “Shut up, Mother! It is too!” Sans let out a full belly laugh that ultimately brought tears to his eyes.

 

“Stop! You guys are mean!”

 

“yep, but you  **love**  us!” Cheeky bastard! He winked.

 

“So explain to me what she means by ‘reproduce like monsters’?”

 

“well…,” Oh, there’s that lovely blush again. “a lot of the fan fiction got it right. it’s takes mutual desire to have a kid, and our souls are involved. it’s basically sex with souls with the goal to have kids instead of just pleasure or the need to be close.”

 

“Oh, I see.” So much better than the human way. “How often do monsters end up doing this when on their honeymoons?”

 

“actually…ninety percent of the time, they do. but varies between during the beginning of the honeymoon and during the end. some couples come back and have a kid while others come back and it’s only the beginning.

 

“if we decide to do this sometimes during the next few months while we’re here, we have to make a decision carefully.”

 

I smirked. “Something tells me you’d want to do it towards the end just to have an excuse not to work…”

 

“i never said any such thing.” I snorted and his faked innocence. “i actually read that asgore and toriel did it during the end, so…”

 

“Well, then? What’s it gonna be? Are we going to follow their example?”

 

“well…i’m certainly enjoying the alone time.” He shrugged.

 

“I’ll take that as a ‘let’s go for it one week before we leave’.”

 

“sure, that works. good decision, babe.”

 

I laughed.

 

* * *

 

 

“hey, babe!” I looked up from dinner preparations. “i saw your phone unlocked and so i got curious. i saw a song that i wanted to listen to, but it relocked because i had to step away. can you unlock it again please?”

 

“Which song?” Keep your mind away from your passcode. You already had to choose a new one six times before.

 

“it’s called [bad time](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkRX6-o2_JI). same guy who did  _determination_ , except with a person named chi-chi. can i– hey, why can’t i listen?”

 

I had snatched my phone and cradled it against my chest. “Because…”  _Don’t think. Don’t think! DON’T THINK!_

 

“wait, but it’s supposed to be me singing! please let me hear!”

 

“NO!” He got closer. “No! Stop!” The chase began, and eventually he gave up.

 

“i will get it eventually. as soon as we get back, i’m gonna find it.”

 

“Stop!” I whined. “I don’t want you to!”

 

“meehhh!” He stuck his glowing blue tongue at me. I didn’t respond.

 

* * *

 

 

“hey, babe.”

 

“What did you do?”

 

“why do you think i did something?”

 

“Your tone, your body language, the Soul Link, and I can just tell.”

 

“well, i listened to that ‘bad time’ song and i like the determination one better.”

 

“GODDAMNIT SANS! I TOLD YOU **NO**!”

 

“i couldn’t help it.”

 

“Damnit, I gotta change my passcode  **again**!”

 

“i love you.”

 

“Don’t even start. You are gonna get it later.”

 

“i know. i still love you.”

  
  
“Ugh…I love you, too.”

 

 

“are you sure? because after this, there is no going back. and soon after we return to the capital, the rest of the world will know.”

 

“Can I just take a moment to show my appreciation that you are now calling our home ‘The Capital’ instead of that dorky ‘Royal Center’?” I smirked.

 

He grinned. “heh, i’m contemplating changing it completely, but i will ask for a vote. i agree that ‘the capital’ works far better.”

 

I sighed dreamily, looking up at his goofy smile in appreciation.

 

“back on task. are you sure you want a kid now?”

 

I snorted. “Just shut up and kiss me, you dingus!”

 

“as you wish, my queen!” He murmured.

 

“Ugh, that sounds so….so…. _oh_ …. _ahhhhhhh!_ ”

 

Soul Sex was like an explosion of fireworks in the form of arousal. Our bodies were pressed tightly together and the only thing on our minds were the love we had for each other and the new life we planned to create.

 

Both male and female monsters could become pregnant. We had a short discussion about who would carry our child, and I was more than adamant to be the mother, which Sans was relieved by. Though, since I have a breeding kink, it was a given. Our only worry was about what would happen if someone tried to take advantage of the kingdom while I was in such a vulnerable state.

 

The answer came from Mother on the day we had the discussion…

 

~

 

_~If you decide to have a child, Sans’ power will increase and the powers necessary to protect everyone, especially his mate and unborn child, will be available. In addition, Rachel’s emotional instability will be less or on par with what she usually experiences. So, mood swings are less likely to happen.~_

_“that’s good.”_

_~However,~ She added. ~This is a give and take situation. To have this luxury, there will be an equivalent exchange. That exchange will be a longer amount of time in a state of vulnerability. It is a small price to pay for this luxury, especially since the child will be only have matter and thus weigh nothing, though it does come with downsides, which you will surely find out. Are you still committed to go down this path?~_

_The thought of no back pain made me smile. “Yes, I am. Sans?”_

_“you’re the one who is going to have to carry our kid. whatever you say, i’ll support it.”_

_I turned to Mother and nodded._

_~Very well, then. When you are ready to conceive, these arrangements will be in place.~_

 

~

 

We were both very close. Our Souls, forced into the space between my breasts and his ribs, felt like they were bubbling with the intensity of our combined emotion. It took a lot of effort to reach even the beginning of our combined orgasm, and both of us were covered in a fine coating of mixed sweat.

As we finally neared our combined peaks, the time to change the decision was now; as soon as we reached our peak, a new Soul would be made and our child would begin developing. But it was that thought of having this child, and the thought that we made this together – each of us still in slight disbelief that our mate chose us over everyone else – that tightened our resolve as we held on.

 

They say that in the moment of conception, the brighter the light and purer the essence, the better the child’s life will be because of the love the parents have for them and each other. The moment our first was conceived, the light emitted was too bright and too pure for the rest of the room to be seen. There was only Sans, me, and our future child.

 

Moments passed, and the light dimmed and moved down to my womb as it began to grow. Sans and I watched until the pure light vanished completely and the subtlest of bumps appeared between my hips. We were panting, both of us unspeaking and unmoving, as we tried to process what had just happened together.

 

Sans was the first to succumb, falling forward on the sheets beside me as laughter full of disbelief, relief, amazement, and wonder took hold of him. I was soon to follow, and embracing, we shed tears together and began giving each other little pecks.

 

“we did it!” Sans breathed. “we  **actually**  did it! oh stars, that’s amazing!”

 

“I know! I’ve wanted this for…I can’t even remember.”

 

“yeah, we actually made something. and…oh stars, i can’t wait to meet them.”

 

“Yeah, they’re gonna be amazing!”

 

“i wonder what they’ll look like! will they be a boy or girl?”

 

“Whichever they are, they’ll be wonderful! And I’m not stopping at one child!”

 

“oh good, that’s a relief! after what happened with the last royas, we are gonna need to be extra careful because if there’s only one kid, then…never mind. i want a big family anyway.”

 

“Well, we can afford it, so why not?”

 

He snorted. “i gotta ask. what’s your limit?”

 

“Minimum is four. Maximum…I don’t know. Probably ten?”

 

He laughed. “whatever you say, sweetheart. you want four, we’ll make four. you want eight, fine by me. you want twelve, awesome! i don’t care! i just want to be a good dad, so as long as you’re willing to help me raise them, we’ll have as many as you want.”

 

“I wonder if you’ll say that after only one.”

 

“i can handle one. i raised pap, after all.”

 

“Oh yeah! I forgot that was canon here, too.” I sighed, closing my eyes. “Okay, we’ll discuss that after this munchkin is born. And don’t worry…I’ll help you every step of the way.”

 

He chuckled. “sleep, sweetheart. we worked hard and you’ll need your strength in the coming months.”

 

“Thanks, love.”

 

“i’ll be right here when you wake up.”

 

Curling into my husband, I sighed. I felt him trace a finger gently over my newly formed baby bump as I slipped into unconsciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Which of my stories do you like most?**


	45. SOMETHING WICKED THIS WAY COMES?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans and Rachel return from their honeymoon to find that trouble is brewing. What could possibly be happening? Additionally, Rachel lets slip something about herself that she wished she hadn't. What else will be revealed?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm not sure if this title fits. It's mainly for the next chapter, but whatever. I'm too lazy to fix it. XP

“Waaaahahaaaaaaaa!”

 

Lord Tyrran was more than happy when he arrived to return us to the Capital only to find out that we did indeed conceive a child like he had assumed we would.

 

“So, how many times did it take?” He asked after we got settled and the car began to move.

 

“Only once,” I blushed as I replied uncertainly. “Why?”

 

“Really? Only once? Damn, you two must really love each other!” He chuckled, a glint in his eye.

 

“um, yeah. but what do you mean?” So I wasn’t the only one who was uncomfortable.

 

“It’s more likely that couples don’t conceive after the first try. It’s not impossible and not completely rare, but it’s less likely to happen with most couples since Soul Bonds break down all barriers and all the flaws and weaknesses come out – countless couples were forced to adjust and thus it was harder to reproduce since they aren’t in sync.

 

“We’ve also deduced it’s because they either have smaller compatibility issues that focus on Soul biology alone since Souls from different sides of the globe are less compatible due to environment, or it’s because the couple’s personality aren’t as compatible because they rushed into marriage too soon.

 

“What’s more surprising is the reading we got coming from here a week ago. We can track energy and there was an enormous output of raw magic with a reading that of a conceiving couple, and given the state of the Soul you’ve got resting between your hips, that enormous energy was your little one being created. There has never been a reading that powerful before in all of recorded history.”

 

“Really? So what does that mean?” It sounded like a good thing, but just in case.

 

“It means you two couldn’t be any more compatible.” He explained with a knowing smile. “It means this world is in good hands.”

 

Sans wrapped his arms around me and pulled me close. “yep, this is  **my**  girl.”

 

“I should warn you of a new development, though.” Lord Tyrran said seriously.

 

“what?” All joking vibes vanished. “is everyone all right?”

 

“The world is fine, but many of the citizens of Orientus are outraged that ‘their princess was ousted from her rightful place as queen because of a mage’. It has been all over the news and has created an enormous uproar. Apparently, Lady Koianna spread around that she would become the Queen of Monsters and after her humiliation at the Suitor’s Appeal, many of the Orientus citizens felt like they had been cheated, too. And when they looked to someone to blame, Koianna put it on you and spread rumors that you ‘manipulated the king into falling in love with you’. It’s ridiculous, but it worked.

 

“Lord Tancho has refused to say anything since he is under oath. But his daughter has every reason to act out since she’s under so much scrutiny. There has been a back and forth between the nations and with Orientus being such a large country, the fight is has equal members on both sides despite it being Orientus against three or more other nations.”

 

I glared into nothing. “What a brat! She doesn’t get her way, and when she gets in trouble for being stupid and conceited, she puts the blame onto someone else. How many times has she done this?”

 

“Far too many.” The dinosaur noble replied with a solemn shake of his head. “She has done it on various occasions and on every one of them, she has been proven a liar, but she was able to keep it hidden due to her family’s power and wealth. Only those in the same position are aware, hence why I have the knowledge to tell you.”

 

I hummed thoughtfully, staring out the window as we moved over the ocean. “Would it be wrong of me to rip her dignity to shreds, as well as take all of the power she ever had away from her?”

 

“uhhh, i don’t know, babe.” Sans cut in worriedly.

 

“If you do it smartly, you have a chance.” Lord Tyrran remarked. “That little brat has already caused a lot of irritation to many people around the world, even among her own citizens. If you strip her down in a way that will prove how  _fishy_  she really is, then you have a more than decent chance of gaining favor.”

 

Sans brightened. “sir, you have my greatest respect at that wonderful pun!”

 

“Hahaaaa! You said you’re a comedian at the wedding, so I thought I’d give it a shot!”

 

“It was a good one!” I commended. “Can you give me more advice please?”

 

“Certainly! I have quite a few ideas you can use…” I grinned at his enthusiasm. Futurae was proving to be a great ally.

 

 

 

“Holy shit! You’re pregnant?!” Undyne roared as she lifted Sans and me off our feet the moment we exited Lord Tyrran’s vehicle. “You two are gonna have the most adorable skele-hybrid baby ever!”

 

“Uh, thank you?” I mumbled uneasily.

 

“Alphys, add that to the notes!”

 

“O-on it!” The dinosaur trotted off.

 

“stars, no!” Sans grumbled.

 

“So, how was your vacation?” Undyne grinned with mischievous delight.

 

“can we go inside and talk like civilized people please? we only just got out of the car!”

 

“Okay, youngsters!” Lord Tyrran said as he placed the last of our bags in the guards’ hands. “Have a good one and come visit again when you can!”

 

I waved. “Thank you so much, Lord Tyrran. It was fantastic! Thank you for being so accommodating!”

 

He saluted. “Ma’am, you are too kind! And remember what I told you! I’ll take you besting that little brat as payment for the last couple months! It will be more than worth it!”

 

I smirked and gave him a thumb up. “Thank you! I will!”

 

He guffawed, his laughs muffled as he closes the door and drove off into the heavens and beyond.

 

“Well, I guess he told you about the latest development.” Undyne growled as she led the way.

 

Sans echoed the sentiment. “yeah, let’s just say he told us enough and we all agreed the situation was very  _fishy_!” The guard groaned.

 

I snorted. “Sans, he already used that one!”

 

“hey, it was good. and they weren’t there to hear it.”

 

“Okay, Rachel!” Undyne said as we walked through the halls of the castle alone after Sans had went off to speak to Asgore and Toriel. “As the new queen, you’ll be transferring bedrooms.”

 

“Why?”

 

“What do you mean ‘why’? Don’t you  **want**  to share a bedroom with Sans?”

 

“No, I meant  _why_  do **I**  have to switch? Can’t he switch?”

 

“Why  **should**  he?”

 

“I’m just wondering.”

 

“Is there a problem with that?”

 

“I just have… _issues_  with certain things.”

 

“Like what?”

 

“I don’t do well with change, especially visual. Like if I slept in a bedroom with two separate beds, I wouldn’t be able to switch between the beds without losing my mind. I pick one and stick with it.”

 

“Why is that?”

 

“I think it’s part of one of my mental disabilities. Additionally, I rely heavily on visuals, so certain changes are especially jarring and off-putting for me. While my keen eyes might assist me in art, they are not helpful for matters of perception like that.” I slumped at the various memories of my childhood, when I would throw fits because the changes were too much for me.

 

“What makes it easier?”

 

“Well, for changing locations, if I can trick my brain into thinking the location was entirely new, that would help. Like if the colors, furniture, and overall style was completely different, it would be easier. I’m not sure why, but that has helped in the past. My mind works on an ultra-logical scale, so tricking my brain is very hard. However, if I know something makes sense, it is easier on me to accept.”

 

“Well, your old room was red and gold and the bed was facing a different direction.”

 

“Yeah, I didn’t like those colors. I only wore gold a couple times when I was thirteen, and it only worked because my hair was golden blonde. I only wear silver now, and cool colors look better on me than warm colors.”

 

There was silence and I turned to Undyne who had stopped walking. “What, Undyne?”

 

“You were blonde?”

 

I face-palmed, the resulting smack loud enough to echo faintly. But the sound was enough to get the attention of Sans, Asgore and Toriel who were walking towards us.

 

“babe, what’s the matter?”

 

I shook my head, removing a hand from my face and pointing backwards at Undyne with my thumb.

 

“what did you do?”

 

“She just told me that she was once blonde!”

 

“what?” Curious skelly is curious.  _Damnit_!

 

“She just said she had blonde hair when she was thirteen.”

 

“I’m done.” I walked on, trying to get away.

 

“wait, really?” I groaned as Sans caught up. “how did it turn black?”

 

“I’m not elaborating.” I cried in dismay. “I hate my past. C’mon! You know that!”

 

“c’mon, just tell us what happened?” Sans begged.

 

I groaned furiously. “Fine. But I’m only telling this story once.”

 

“Hang on, punk!” Picking me up, Undyne charged into the dining room and set me down at the head. “Okay, now tell us the story.”

 

‘What the fuck!’ I mouthed in disbelief. When everyone began to enter, I realized I had no way to escape.

 

“So I heard you’re about to tell a story of your past!” Grillby said as he walked in. “Everyone present and accounted for, so you may go.”

 

I sighed. “Okay, I’ll tell you my story. Well, more like a synopsis, which will include my personal opinions that most, if not all, of you already know. We’ll start with my birthparents.”

 

_I was born to Shannon Chime and Mickey Mallory, though Shannon was already married to a man whom I was told was put behind bars. When she found out she was pregnant, Mickey had already left to pursue a new career, leaving the then-unemployed woman alone to deal with the new development. Whether he ever knew about me, I never found out. But knowing he abandoned my birthmother made my blood boil._

_Shannon had another three-year-old daughter named Mikayla whom she had to send to live with her husband’s family. Shannon also had to make the choice of whether she should keep the child she had just created, have an abortion, or give it away. She chose the last option, **apparently**  with permission from her husband._

_If I had it my way, I would have wanted the second. Living on Earth left me miserable, lonely, and furious. If death meant escape, I would have gladly taken it. Fear of the unknown and fear of losing myself kept me bound to that life._

_I was born and given to a Jewish family who already had another adopted child named Donnie who was roughly the same age as my half-sister._

_I grew up knowing I was adopted, which was one of the few correct choices Dave and Lynn made regarding raising Donnie and me. But growing up, I was constantly reminded that I was different. And the worst part was that I didn’t understand it or why everything felt so wrong._

_My looks and talent in the arts helped me earn friendship, but with this good fortune also brought jealousy in a supposed friend. And with my lack of understanding in the social department, I was constantly picked on and manipulated by my peers in school. At some point, my golden hair and bright blues eyes no longer mattered because of how I acted. I would hiss, growl, or bark like an animal and continue to make a fool of myself in front of others._

_They took the bait, and they were quick to judge me, tease me, encouraged me to continue acting out so they could continue making fun of me, and most importantly, treat me like I was less of a person, or not a person at all, and more a tool to use for whatever they wanted. Growing up, this became more and more apparent. I would never forget how I would get in trouble when I wasn’t the only one involved or I had been in the wrong place at the wrong time. So many times, I wish I could turn back time and slap both the stupid teachers and vile students._

_I was a tool, a puppet, and that anger would live on for years to come. I could never truly let go, either. Not even now, over ten years later._

_Years passed, and by the end of high school, my hair had turned brown. I hated it. I hated mundane, I hated normal. I hated everyone else, and I wanted to be me because being different became far more important than being one with the crowd. So, for graduation, I dyed it black with blue tips for the first time. That was 2011, and I had dyed it black ever since._

_It could be assumed I had black hair as a symbol of how broken I already was, or how much hatred I had in my Soul. But the pain didn’t stop. In fact, it only worsened. In 2014, after dropping out of college and spending every day on my computer, my parents decided they had had enough. That was when everything had really gone downhill and true hell began. It was the point I knew that they were never supposed to be **my**  parents. They couldn’t understand me, and even if they could, the life I had lived was a mistake._

_I was sent away from home. I went to a wilderness program because those idiots deduced that because I loved nature growing up, wilderness was a good change. Nature and wilderness are not the same! A child would know better, but what should I expect from two stupid people who never tried to understand me? They had often run away out of fear because my emotions were too much for them._

_From there, it was program to program. And the further I went, the more I was destroyed from the inside. I had never felt so lost, so angry, so scared, and so hopeless. I had been bullied, manipulated, betrayed, lied to, and ignored._

_Being ignored was the worst of all. Having to constantly hear those two idiots who were supposed to support me say ‘we know you can do it’ when I told them about how manipulative the people were. ‘That is how people can be in real life.’ Really? You expect me to believe that garbage. True, people are manipulative, but that is no excuse for people trying to help me._

 

_It wasn’t me they cared about. It was the money._

_Besides, I knew that what my parents were talking about was different than what I was referring to. But I had already seen that they no longer tried to understand. They had stopped trying when I left home. There was a point when I thought that maybe them sending me away was going to help, but then I realized that they just didn’t want the burden. If they truly wanted to help, they would listen to what I have to say. And besides…_

 

You should have thought about all of this before wanting to have kids.

_I always knew that humans were the real monsters and vice versa. I loved Undertale because it was a game of choice. And these choices reminded me of my life. The genocide and resetting reminded me of how I would try to get help only to have the same shit thrown in my face over and over. I lost trust in everyone and buries myself away from them just to stay sane. I refused to let anyone in._

_Before I left that awful world, I was barely existing. I was completely hollow except for my hatred. Every day was a struggle and the person I was had vanished, disintegrated into something that wasn’t even alive anymore, nor the loving person I had been early in life. I felt nothing because it hurt too much to feel, I stopped trying because I knew that no one would stop the cruelty because they didn’t care, and I gave up because there was no such thing as happiness in a place that not only lacked the one thing I truly desired and had the worst people in existence._

_I reached a point where I knew why people committed suicide. It was because they knew they didn’t belong here either. Their families and friends weren’t enough to keep them here. They had nothing left to lose because they would rather greet the darkness of the potential afterlife and all it contained than suffer in a world where life was just a few pathetic steps: birth, learn, work, die._

 

_Those of us who wanted escape were basically the ones who didn’t let the illusion that life would get better trick us. It wasn’t true. Earth life was a simple case of manipulate or be manipulated. I had been on both sides of the coin and hated it; hated that I had to resort to doing it, too. I constantly wished for the things that were deemed impossible…_

 

Magic…

 

Another world, or another life…

 

To feel like I was loved and that I belonged…

 

And finally, to be in control of my life and the choices that go into it…

_After living in a world where I was powerless, told I was worthless and must obey commands when they were commanded, where I had no control and the choices for my life were made for me, being shot in the back by those stupid humans, dying, and being carried away to Natura was the best thing to ever happen to me. It was painful, but worth it._

_I had little doubt that I would eventually return to Earth. I had unfinished business with them, after all. I wouldn’t run, I wouldn’t let the people who had done so much damage already hurt me or anyone else, and I would make sure they felt the same pain that they caused me._

_I had told people before that if they were to switch bodies with me, they’d go insane. It’s true that my life wasn’t nearly as hard as others were given that others suffered in poverty, slavery, living with diseases, and more. But the intensity of what I felt was far greater than most others due to my many mental disabilities. I had over twenty-four years to get accustomed to it, so if someone were to step into my place for the first time, they wouldn’t last long._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What are your favorite fonts? Please include a link.**
> 
>  
> 
> For this QOTD, the more the merrier. And no, this is not for their first baby. It's for their next ones. Credit is given, I promise.


	46. LET’S FIND THE ULTIMATE TRUTH THROUGH A GAME OF TWENTY-QUESTIONS!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rachel plays twenty questions with the monsters and reveals a whole lot about herself and the universe as a whole. How will her allies, and you - the readers, respond?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mind you, these are my opinions. I tend to think dramatically, so don't get your panties/boxers in a wad. I've warned a bunch of times that personal beliefs come into play. Please be respectful.

“If there is one thing I’m absolutely certain of, it’s that my unstable emotions are a weapon. Now that I have my unlocked magic and have trained, I can project my intense hatred, depression, and hopelessness onto others.”

 

“aaaaand this is why i’m glad you’re our ally.”

 

I grinned. “My story is not a happy one because I was put into some terrible circumstances. I told a mentor once that I knew that I was not worthless. It was the world that was worthless for someone like me, because I knew I had been wrongly put into it. I was never meant to exist on Earth. It’s like putting oil into water. They don’t mesh at all and the oil just sits there. I was the oil, except that other ingredients that don’t go together were added and the result was a black husk that isn’t edible.”

 

I took a breath. “My coming to Natura was like separating the remnants of the oil, or grease, and putting it into a new pot and slowly finding out what works and what doesn’t. There are slip ups and you get a nasty spill on occasion, but there are ways to fix it and in the end, you have a gourmet meal that is so delicious, you want to eat it again and again.”

 

I let my gaze fall on each of them. “My story is not a happy one. The happy parts only started after I came here. And while it’s still not perfect, it doesn’t need to be because perfection doesn’t exist. It is a concept that is full of lies, hypocrisy, and desire.

 

“Humans believe that a god or a savior is perfect, but that is because they want to be saved by someone greater. They pray that someone will rescue them instead of taking initiative to save themselves. A lot of them treat other people like garbage because of their beliefs. I ended up raging against a lot of people for how they treated others because of race, beliefs, sexual preferences, and more. If there’s one thing I hate about humans, it’s their stupid pride. Most of them seem to think they are better and when things don’t go their way, they go to pray as though kissing up to their god will save them and make all the bad stuff go away.”

 

My eyes flashed red. “I had moments where I tried to pray. But when nothing happened, I gave up. I complained a lot, I fought with others a lot, and I was manipulative towards others because I didn’t know what else to do. In the end, I realized that there was no god, or gods, coming…and no savior watching over me. And  **my**  job isn’t to save anyone either.

 

“The closest I will get to saving anyone is becoming a guide. A savior, or whatever you wish to call it, is not obligated to save someone just because of faith, and there really shouldn’t be a savior at all if people are undeserving. You do something good with the intent of doing good, and good will come to you because it’s a cycle. You do good to appease a deity or whatever so that they will feel obligated to help you later, you are being manipulative. And sometimes, people with good intent receive for a whole other reason.”

 

I looked sadly. “People have hurt me so much that my empathy has been almost completely destroyed. Back on Earth, my emotions had automatically shut down because I couldn’t cope with the pain. Humans had ultimately destroyed the one who would ultimately Judge them. I had told them my position and they ignored it. It hurt, but after everything, I know why they think like that.”

 

I looked over the monsters with black eyes. “There is an entity that is behind all the evils. He’s the one who started everything when he tried to consume all the good and his plan backfired. It’s been a battle between Him and Fate since the beginning of time and space.”

 

“Who the hell is this guy?”

 

“He went by many names, but I ultimately came up with a name that suited him quite well. And he has a sister who is his opposite, so I’ll let you figure it out with this riddle.” I winked. “They oppose each other. She represents the purest of ideas, the bringer of strength, and is the one who helps us when we fall. He destroys everything, takes it all so that there is nothing left, ultimately taking Her away. Who are they?”

 

Blank stares bore into me.

 

“uh, a hint?”

 

“Very well. Her name is one that a lot of girls are named for good luck and something I talked about in my story that was being taken little by little. His name is also the name of a place that you specifically are familiar with, Sans, though I’m not sure about anyone else.”

 

“Can you give a hint that’s more  _this_  versus  _that_?” Toriel inquired.

 

“Heh, sure. Good versus bad.”

 

“Obviously, that’s one!” Undyne grumbled.

 

“Fine!” I cried. “Her versus Him is like White versus Black.”

 

“So she’s white and he’s black.”

 

“In a way, yes.”

 

“Uggggggghhhhhhh!” Really, Undyne?

 

“can this be a twenty-questions thing?”

 

“Good idea.” I nodded. “Yes, no, and maybe.”

 

“Do they look human?” Toriel asked.

 

“Maybe.”

 

“are you related to them?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“How?” Undyne shouted. I didn’t respond.

 

“undyne, these are questions that require a yes, no, or maybe. not a detailed response.”

 

“FUCK!” She bellowed. “I’M NOT GOOD AT THIS!”

 

“ **S I T  D O W N  R I G H T  N O W  A N D  S T O P  S H O U T I N G.** ” I commanded in a tone that was dark and foreboding, eyes blazing as I stared through Undyne, daring her to object. She fell back into her seat quietly, ears drooping.

 

“Back on task.” I added sweetly.

 

After a moment of silence, Toriel spoke up. “Is She related to Lady Och?”

 

“Maybe.”

 

“Is He the devil?”

 

“No.” I added a lilt to my voice and a quirk to my brow and mouth as an indication that there was more information.

 

Sans caught on, “is He the one who made the devil take the blame?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is the devil bad?”

 

“No and maybe.”

 

“Is the devil bad due to circumstances?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“A-are you related to the d-devil?”

 

“Yes.” A series of gasps.

 

“Do you h-have a blood relation?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Lady Och is your Mother?” Toriel took over when Alphys could not due to her nerves.

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is the devil your Father?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The room was filled with wide eyes.

 

“Are you bad?”

 

“Yes and no.”

 

“can we stop the twenty-questions so you can just tell us this part?”

 

“No.” I smirked lightly. They groaned.

 

“do you have a demonic side?”

 

“Yes.” I flashed my eyes red.

 

“are you in control of the demonic side?”

 

“Yes.” Soul waved my tail around.

 

“is that side at all dangerous?” I didn’t answer immediately, contemplating.

 

Finally, shrugging, I replied. “New answer. Specify!”

 

Sans hummed in thought. “specify the question?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“is that side at all dangerous to us?”

 

“No.”

 

“is that side dangerous towards the people of earth?”

 

“Yes.” I replied grimly. “But to pause this game and clarify, only to the bad people. I don’t harm those who don’t deserve it. And even then, you need to do a whole lot of bad for me to get that far.”

 

“Is there a way that Soul cannot contain it?” Toriel inquired.

 

“Yes.”

 

“is there a backup plan?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Sans paused in thought, then asked, “does that backup plan include someone else taking soul’s place in the moment?”

 

I grinned in respect for his deduction. “Yes.”

 

“is that someone in this room?”

 

“Yes.” I giggled.

 

“Oh, for goodness sake, Sans!” Toriel groaned. “Is it Sans?”

 

“Yes.” My eyes flashed a brief purple, indicating my visions.

 

“you’ve seen this?” He sounded so surprised.

 

“Yes.”

 

“I have a question.” Asgore spoke up with a slightly raised hand. I nodded for him to speak. “About the riddle. You said He was named after a place that Sans has been to. But it’s a place that only Sans has visited, that you know of.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is it the place he goes when he teleports?”

 

I grinned. “Yes.”

 

“the void?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“So, He is called Void? And you came up with that name?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“And She is the opposite?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“What is the opposite of void? What is the void?” Toriel seemed to being asking Sans now.

 

“it’s nothing. it’s an empty space. granted, it has magic, but it’s empty magic.”

 

“So what’s the opposite of nothing?”

 

“Everything?” Undyne grumbled.

 

“Wait, no…it’s an emotion!” Toriel reasoned.

 

“it’s hope.” Sans concluded.

 

“Yes.” I grinned victoriously.

 

“you used the word ‘hopeless’ in your story. when you have hope, nothing can get you down…or at least, it’s harder to get you down. but when you are hopeless, there is nothing left to take, therefore you are basically in a void, or void of everything.”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Is there more to the story?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“Can we stop playing twenty-questions please?” Undyne shrieked.

 

I snorted. “Yes.”

 

“NAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!” Undyne cried victoriously. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FYI, if you are reading my other fic, "Being Sassy Under the Spotlight", this chapter holds a lot of weight in the first chapter of that or so. I didn't want to reveal tidbits here over there, but now some of the stuff from that story will make sense.


	47. ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS, SO PROVING MYSELF TAKES LESS VERBAL ABUSE AND MORE CREATIVE THINKING!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _A news anchor steps into sight on the television screen. "And we are back with breaking news! Lady Koianna Tancho continues to mourn the loss of the crown, having been beaten by a mage of the king's court! Here are a few words from the rightfully enraged princess."_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> _Koianna Tancho begins screaming into the microphone: "IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN MINE! THAT STUPID MAGE USED HER DAMN MAGIC ON ME AND ALL THE OTHER SUITORS! HIS MAJESTY CLEARLY FAVORED ME IN THE BEGINNING! BUT THEN SHE..." (Gross sobbing noises) "I ONLY WANTED TO DO THE RIGHT THING BY MY PEO-" (TV turned off)_
> 
>  
> 
> _Rachel deadpans towards the audience. "What a brat. You're not even in this or the next chapter. Save your drama for chapter 49 when I kick your ass. I have a kingdom of citizens to assist. Y'know, that thing that royals and nobility are supposed to do, but you don't." Rachel grins **koi** ly. "Don't worry. I won't forget about you." Sans' eye-lights get shiny as he admires the pun in passionate silence._
> 
>  
> 
> _Your screen goes blank and the following words appear: "Let this chapter begin."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **If any of the region names confuse you, please let me know in the comments. I have notes for this, so I can easily say what regions are what.**

_“And to think our lady was cheated by a mere human mage!”_

 

I sighed, watching the television broadcast in Sans’ lap, eyes lidded with exhaustion as the eel monster complained about the results of the suitor’s appeal to the news anchor.

_“If it were me, I would have demanded another appeal. This is outrageous.”_

 

“And then you’ll demand that your appeal be the most successful and you should be crowned the winner.” I look over my shoulder at Sans. “Am I wrong?”

 

He chuckled. “probably not.”

_“What do you expect will happen next?”_  The news anchor, a red fish, asked.

_“Some kind of rebuke from the mage, probably. According to sources, the honeymoon will have just ended. As soon as she sees what she’s done, she’ll probably try to justify her actions. But **we**  know better. She’s a tricky one, whoever she is. Once we find out how she did it, she’ll behind bars.”_

 

I snorted. “I used to jump right into confrontation because I felt powerless and therefore, I fought back immediately. But right now, I hold the reins and run the show. I’m going to reply to this on my terms.”

 

“so, what’s your plan?”

 

“I have to think carefully. I also need to know my opponent’s past and what she’s done before.”

 

“we have easy access to that. we get constant reports. i’m sure i’ll find whatever dirt you’ll need to use against her.”

 

“See, that’s the thing. I’ve been thinking about this and I’ve decided that I’m not going to get revenge by confronting her because that is what they are hoping for, so it’ll make me look stupid and selfish like them. Nope, I have a better plan.”

 

“you gonna fill me in?”

 

“Yep. It’s simple, and it’s something politicians fail to do on Earth. A lot of people could make themselves look far more appealing by using this simple tactic. Unfortunately for Earth people, magic doesn’t exist, so it is harder to accomplish.”

 

“what are you talking about?”

 

“I’ll give you a hint to see if you can figure it out.” He groaned. “Just listen. How do you gain approval ratings?”

 

“not that i need to, but normally it’s by filling out requests that are sent in reports.”

 

“Exactly. So let’s say some people are having a food crisis, or better yet, that mining issue. Let’s use that as an example. What would you do?”

 

“i would send a representative to figure out the issue who would report back. i’d make a decision based off the info and hopefully, within time, it’s solved.”

 

“Bingo!”

 

“what?”

 

“The first part of what you said! That is the problem!”

 

“i don’t follow.”

 

“Sending a rep is one thing. But what if you went in person to deal with the issue?”

 

“that would leave the capital kind of vulnerable.”

 

“Well, now there are two of us, as well as Asgore and Toriel to take care of things here. I say we go from place to place, in order from either how long ago the reports were sent or how dire the situation is. If we have a personal visit, especially since this would only be starting now and not before I came, it proves that I’m taking interest in others. Words spreads fast, Sans. I won’t need to fight back when I let my actions do the talking.”

 

“damn…” He had stars in his sockets.

 

“Well, I certainly approve.” Toriel said from behind us, a smile on her muzzle. “And everything is already organized, with only the hardest of situations left. Come look.”

 

Standing up, I followed her with Sans not far behind. Walking into the office, we were greeted with the sight of a few stacks of papers laid neatly on Sans’ desk.

 

“What’s the worst of them?”

 

“Here,” She picked up the papers on the far left. “There is a civil war going on at the border between Anglicus and Avium.”

 

“Where is Anglicus?”

 

“Here’s a world map, so you can see them all.” She unrolled the piece of yellowed paper.

 

Studying the map, I found many similarities to Earth. “This world is almost identical to Earth, except that the different history changed how everything looked.”

 

“really? what do you mean?”

 

“I can name the continents on Earth versus Natura just by looking at this.” I pointed to us. “This is North America, which is where I lived. I lived most of my life around here.” I pointed to the relative spot Maryland would be. “And this is where I was before I came here.” I lowered my index finger towards the south east, where Georgia would be. “I hated it there.”

 

“Up here, instead of Boreus, is Canada. And Insula is Hawaii.” I tapped each with my finger. “Austelus is South America.” I used my other hand to point. “Down there and up there with North Gelus and South Gelus is Antarctica. Though yours is bigger.” I moved to the other side. “Anglicus is Europe. Orientus is Asia. Avium is what I know as the Middle East, though it’s either part of Asia or Europe. I’m not sure.” I hummed. “Silvestris is Australia. And…we don’t have Futurae. But it sounds like future…I wonder.”

 

“what’s up?”

 

“I’ve been wondering about Futurae for a while now. And given that there are legends about a civilization where everything was so much more technologically advanced…I wonder if Futurae is Atlantis, if it hadn’t sunk and was erased from history.”

 

“Wait, you’re saying that there was a whole continent that sank?”

 

“Well, there was a story about it. Like the citizens were greedy and didn’t want to share their advanced technology, so they were punished by the gods…I don’t know. But I bet you that Futurae is the result of what would have happened if humans weren’t so damn greedy!”

 

“i’d like to read your world’s history.” Sans replied with a chuckle.

 

“I would advise against it only because it’s not pretty. I’m surprised there hasn’t been a World War Three yet.”

 

“what?! what about world war one and two?!”

 

“Exactly! Humans are vicious to each other. You guys have civil wars and are occasional dicks to one another, hence what is going on in Orientus. But humans have waged countless wars because another group of humans either insulted their pride or had something they weren’t willing to give up. It’s greed, jealousy, and stupidity bottled up into one thing. Mass murder and just…it is disgusting.”

 

“you know if you wipe them all out, you’d be a murderer, too.”

 

I sighed. “I never planned to wipe them all out. Some of them are worth saving. But most of them are not. And humans won’t change their ways. I don’t think even fear can change what they have done. They have destroyed their world and each other over the course of history.

 

“So many stupid fights just to prove they are better than others who are the same species, only because they think differently or have different color or shaped skin, hair, eyes, etc. These are people who don’t realize that if they were all shoved underground, they would all eventually look the same, or close. And yet they have come up with slurs for people with dark skin or red hair.” I looked at the two sadly. “You have no idea how ridiculous and stupid humanity really is. And they would call you demons or use the term ‘monster’ as a slur just because you look different. I honestly wonder who the hell came up with the name ‘human’ when these idiotic evolved monkeys are nothing close to humane.”

 

“Monkeys?”

 

“Yeah, humans evolved from apes.”

 

“seriously?”

 

“Mhmm! Too bad their brains haven’t evolved as much as they need to!”

 

There were a few moments of silence before I stretched. “Okay, back on task.” I looked over the map. “So, at the border of Avium and Anglicus, or Europe and the Middle East, there is a civil war. Why is that?”

 

“Right!” Toriel refocused. “We have received two reports from opposing representatives about a cultivation of rare spices. Avium explained that they found it first, but Anglicus said it was in their territory. We have to decide who it belongs to so they may farm it.”

 

“Okay, then!” I turned to Sans. “Can you teleport there?”

 

“i…that’s far.”

 

“Dude, you have my energy now. Distance isn’t an issue.”

 

“yeah, but…”

 

“You have had months to be lazy. Now is not the time and you know it.”

 

He grumbled. “fine, c’mere.”

 

I grinned, taking the folder of reports from Toriel and walking into the skeleton’s embrace. In a flash of light, we were gone, reappearing on the outskirts of a town.

 

“this is the countryside outside of anglicus’ smallest town, which you can see over there.” He pointed. “the reports should be about an area around here.”

 

I looked at the reports and noticed they were from two months ago. “It seems this report is pretty new.”

 

“that’s good. but we do need to be careful out here. if there is a civil war, it’s still dangerous.”

 

“Well, I’ve got my knight in purple hoodie to keep me safe.”

 

He snorted, taking my hand. “let’s go.”

 

“I thought it was clever.” I mumbled. In my peripheral, I saw his grin.

 

“Your majesties, I had no idea you would be coming in person!” A green bird squawked as he landed a few feet in front of us. “I am Altair.”

 

“I thought it would be best to see what is going on in person rather than send a rep.” I explained, shaking the bird’s outstretched foot in greeting. “Can you lead us to the sight where the issue started?”

 

“Right this way, m’lady.”

 

“You can call me Rachel if you wish.”

 

“Lady Rachel, then.”

 

“Good enough.” Sans snorted.

 

“We were the onesss to find it.” A snake hissed angrily. “Findersssss keepersss, loserssss weeperssss!”

 

“But it is on our soil!” A deer retaliated snootily. “Get your hindquarters back to the desert where you belong!”

 

“You greedy fools don’t deserve it after all the shady deals you perform with the other kingdoms on a regular basis.” A cat growled. “We need more trade items! Get out!”

 

“You’re just upset because we have a right to it!” A ferret cooed with a smirk.

 

“Cocky cheaters!”

 

“Dirty peasants!”

 

“okay, that’s enough!”

 

The group of bickering monsters halted as we approached. Eyes widening, they stepped back and bowed.

 

“To what do we owe this honor, your highness.”

 

“no titles, no kissing ass, just honesty. explain the situation one at a time without interruptions.”

 

“Raise your hand to speak. First hand up is first to speak.” I added.

 

The fastest hand up was the cat. “Yes, you!” I pointed. “What’s your name?”

 

“I’m Kali, m’lady.”

 

“Very nice to meet you, Miss Kali. Please explain in your opinion what has happened? If anyone interrupts, they lose the right to state an opinion. I also ask that when sharing your opinion, you focus on how you feel and refrain from blaming anyone else. If you need to use statements that begin with ‘I feel’, you may do so. Go on, Miss Kali.”

 

“Yes ma’am. I am a native of Avium who specializes in scavenging unique or rare natural resources. My partner is Apep,” She gestured to the snake, who bowed. I nodded and smiled in return. “We came across this spot just over two months ago and began gathering what we found. However, on the third day, two of the civilians of Parvos Finis found us and demanded we stop and hand over whatever we found.

 

“As the ones who found this, I feel we have a right to take them. It is our job, after all.”

 

“Yo–” The deer began.

 

“Remember what I said.” I reminded. The deer hunched, nodding. Turning back, I regarded the cat. “Is that everything?”

 

“Well…” She hesitated, thinking over what she wanted to say. The deer was silently fuming. “I feel…like losing this, especially to those who I have felt are untruthful, is wrong. As the one to get to it first, especially when it was sitting there untouched for years, it is our right to claim it. I feel that since they didn’t find it, they have no right to it.

 

“Lastly, I feel that a lot Anglicus citizens have abused other nations. They have it far easier and they have shown it off by acting like they are better than us and other regions. It makes me hurt and angry that they act this way.”

 

I nodded. “I understand.” I turned to the snake. “Apep, was it?” The snake nodded. “Do you have anything to add?”

 

“No, ma’am. I am in full agreement with Kali. It feelssss very unfair to let others have what we found desssspite it being there for a long time. Additionally, their pompousssss attitude is very irritating. It is well-known that most Anglicusssss citizens don’t do manual labor like Avium citizens do. This is our job, so letting them take all the profitssss feels like we’re being used without compenssssation for our work.”

 

“Understood. I have a question for you. What if they found something on your land?”

 

“Well…”

 

“Think that over while I get their side.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

“Your name, please.” I gestured to the deer who had finally calmed down.

 

“Cornelia, ma’am.”

 

“Alright, Miss Cornelia. What is your side?”

 

“I feel that because it is on Anglicus soil, it belongs to us. Each of the Eleven Plains has resources unique to them. And it would be unfair of a citizen of another plain to take a resource from another.”

 

“I see. Is that all?” She nodded. I smiled and bowed my thanks. “And finally, what is your name?” I addressed the ferret.

 

“Andrea, m’lady.”

 

“Alright, Andrea. Do you have anything to add?”

 

“Only that our town is actually quite poor in comparison to others in Anglicus. We would not have come out here if we did not notice the smoke. But as the citizens of the town closest to the resources, we feel we deserve them. We would feel cheated if another plain’s citizens received them over us.”

 

“I see.” I nodded. “So, let me make sure I understand everything. Kali and Apep of Avium feel that since they found it, they have the right to it despite it being on Anglicus land. It is their job to farm and mine potential products like this and because it was untouched by Anglicus, Kali and Apep feel it is up for grabs. Am I wrong to assume so?”

 

“No, you are right. Our living is based off what we find and bring back. And it is hard to scavenge in a way that will not negatively impact the environment.”

 

“Yes, I understand.” I nodded. “On the other side, Cornelia and Andrea of Anglicus’ town, Parvos Finis feels that since they were found on Anglicus soil near their town, they should have them because it is your automatic right. Additionally, because of the financial situation in Parvos Finis, you are hoping marketing these spices will help your town’s economy grow. Correct?”

 

“Yes, ma’am.”

 

I smiled. “I came up with a solution as both groups spoke. But I wanted to be absolutely clear before I said anything in case I was wrong about any details.”

 

“Ma’am?” Cornelia inquired.

 

“What if the answer was working together and sharing the benefits?”

 

“What do you mean?” Kali asked.

 

“Let me explain. No matter who farms it or where it goes, the profit made from it would be shared among both sides. Whether you decide that Avium will gather it for Anglicus to sell doesn’t matter. The result is that you share the profits made among each other equally.”

 

“So we both receive compensation?” Kali asked.

 

“Yes, because you found it and that is why you deserve half of whatever you receive in total from trade. However, it was on Anglicus’ land, so they deserve half by default and it will be put into their hands to trade it, too. And, only those who are willing to assist in farming, trade or whatever you choose to do with it will earn their part of compensation. You don’t work for it, you don’t receive payment.”

 

I gestured to Kali and Apep. “You have already done your job by finding the resources. If you want to do more, that’s fine, or you can let Anglicus bring in workers.” I turned to Cornelia and Andrea. “I do want ten percent of the cost to go to your governments to be used for financial aid only, though. I don’t want any workers to be harmed and not be helped should anything unfortunate happen.”

 

“Yes, ma’am.” Cornelia and Andrea bowed.

 

“Do these terms work for everyone?” All five of them nodded. “Good. I do want a statement with the terms written and a signature from the four of you, Altair, and your government’s representatives sent to the Capital, Royal Center. We will draw up more contracts like this so that if an issue like this comes up again, the same agreement applies.”

 

“Yes, I will take care of that.” Altair explained. “You have been most helpful today. Thank you for your speedy assistance.”

 

“Very good. I’m glad I could help. And it was a pleasure meeting you all.”

 

“You as well, your majesty.” Cornelia smiled.

 

“Yes, thank you.” Andrea curtsied.

 

“Sssssafe travels home.” Apep added.

 

“And congratulations on the little one.” Kali concluded.

 

“Alright, we shall be off.” And with that, I felt Sans wrap his arms around me before the sight of the grassy plains disappeared.

 

“i am so proud of you.” He said when we were back in the office.

 

“You fixed it that fast?” Toriel asked, hand on her chest. “How?”

 

I grinned. “By thinking logically, and treating everyone equally. I always live by my morals that to solve certain issues, you need to make it even and equal, so everyone involved gets something good out of it. And I’m hoping my strategy will instill a kind of bond between nations. I feel that despite being from different ‘plains’, different people will learn to work together so that in the future, it won’t matter where anyone is from.”

 

I yelped as Sans hoisted me into his arms. “‘scuse us, tori! i need to go show my wife my appreciation alone.”

 

“Don’t be late for dinner, Sans!” She eyed him with a quirked brow and a smirk.

 

“i’ll try not to!” And with that, we vanished again. We were five minutes late for dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Do you want me to do more sassy/silly summaries like on this chapter? Mind you, I might not do it for every one.**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> I know this is not traditional, but I am curious. Also, I recommend my readers go to my collaboration fan fiction called [HellShots](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11056452/chapters/24651882). I will be posting a temporary chapter there soon asking about additional collaborators and editors. I want to revive that project. So look out for that.


	48. THIS MODEL OF ‘THE QUEEN OF NATURA’ COMES EQUIPPED WITH A MAGICAL COMPUTER IN HER SOUL!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Sans, Rachel and Alphys find out of a certain noble's treason, they must figure out a way to provide proof of Koianna's attack on Sans during the Suitor's Appeal? Can they do it?

“And that is that!” I announced triumphantly, having returned from the location that had sent the last of the reports. “We are officially home free and only have to perform weekly checkups.”

 

It had taken two and a half months to get through the issues. Granted, Toriel and Asgore had gone through a bunch of them while Sans and I were on vacation, but given the intensity of the final eight reports, I was thankful they were finally over with.

 

All the reports took basic problem-solving and logic. Only two of them were harder to solve and needed more time to find an answer, but working together, Sans and I found a solution for both of those, too.

 

What’s more? Rumors spread fast about my methods, the approval I got for handling each issue personally was incredible. So incredible, in fact, that a certain noble of Orientus was getting angrier and angrier.

 

“Did Koianna ever receive a punishment for attempted assassination?” I asked on the day after as I watched the angry fish rant on live television.

 

“shit. no, she didn’t. i was supposed to talk with her father, but the topic was saved for after the meeting.”

 

“Do we still have the recording of her assassination attempt?”

 

“i…don’t know.”

 

“I-it’s gone.” Alphys cried in dismay. “It was t-taken from the p-projector.”

 

“Do you know who took it?” I asked.

 

“I l-looked over the cameras and I n-noticed Lord Tancho reach over and remove it when no one was looking.”

 

I growled. “Trying to remove the evidence of his brat’s treason.”

 

“W-what can we do?” The doctor squeaked.

 

I hummed thoughtfully. “Soul, is there a way I can recreate it using time magic?”

 

**“Good question and I have a good answer for you. As this world is connected to your world by generic time-space data, you can access it through the code.”**

 

“Explain.” I said.

 

**“Your powers work however you want them to. Even though you were pretending, when you created your world alongside the physical one, you accessed data through a system that transformed into computer because of your desires – computers are the easiest mode of using and understanding the data for a person like you. You can access that and find the data you want and make a copy.”**

 

“So I don’t have to go back in time?”

 

**“No. If we were talking about another world, like one of the Disney realms, there might be no data to go through. But Undertale, as well as every AU and concept connected to it, is a game made up of data created by programmers to tell the story. So not only can you access that data, but it’s easier to do so since data is so easy to manipulate with a computer. I can walk you through it if you don’t understand. But I think you will because it’s very straightforward.”**

 

I smiled. “I like this.”

 

**“I have activated the tool to access the computer. You should feel it now.”**

 

I nodded, pushing the mental button. A blue screen with a keypad stretched out in front of me like a hologram, exactly like the one I had imagined before my powers became active in reality.

 

**“You see what I mean?”**

 

“Yup, I got this.” I had never typed so fast or so accurately, avoiding all mistakes as my fingers guided with swift precision across the pad.

 

_[Activate: Time]_

_[Look up: Meeting]_

_[Event: Suitor’s Appeal]_

_[Characters: Koianna]_

_[Keywords: Assassination Attempt]_

**_[ENTER]_ **

_[1 Item Confirmed]_

_[Access Granted: Esheye Telari]_

 

Getting access, I was taken to a listing with one item: ‘Video Footage: Proof of AA’.

 

“T-that’s it.” Alphys exclaimed. “I called i-it ‘Proof o-of AA’.”

 

“Awesome!” I grinned. “Thanks, Alphys. It was  **easy**  to find.”

 

“N-no, I’m j-just glad th-that even with m-my mess up, it’s g-going to be f-fine.”

 

“you didn’t mess up, alph.” Sans pat her shoulder. “none of us were paying attention.” She nodded, saying nothing.

 

“I made a copy. Now I just need to give it a physical form.” I turned to Alphys. “What do your storage devices look like?”

 

She pulled out a small disk. “Th-this is the disk that has a copy of the f-footage of Lord Tancho stealing the Proof.”

 

“Great. May I?” She handed it over. I inspected it before handing it back. Closing my eyes and focusing, I felt the essence of what I wanted as it slowly became reality in my hand. Opening my eyes, I looked down at the recreation of the disk.

 

“Now I just have to put the copy of the AA’s data onto it.” Closing my eye, I felt my eye flash a brighter blue that was the same hue and brightness as my computer hologram. Replaying the footage and confirming that it was correct, I proceeded.

 

Taking my unoccupied hand, I pressed it gently to my eye and dragged the data from my eye outward. From my fingertip, I guided it to the new disk and watched it seep into the device.

 

“Try playing it.” I handed it to Alphys who did as told, placing it into the projector and pointing the device at the wall. Sure enough, the footage of Koianna attempting to slice Sans in half before I intervened showed up in perfect precision.

 

“that’s incredible.” Sans gasped.

 

“I have control of time, space, and all of reality. I have rules to abide by, but I am not too limited. I am not affected by paradoxes unless they are certain kinds. Sometimes, I can take precautions, like erasing memory so that a past me, or others, don’t remember.”

 

“damn…”

 

“Yeah, it’s cool. I have every power I dreamed of having when I was on Earth. And my story in that other world is also true. Soul made me realize that.”

 

“there’s still a lot you haven’t told us.” It wasn’t a question.

 

“Yeah, but sometimes you gotta wait for the right moment, too.”

 

He grinned. “as long as you tell me eventually, i can live with that.” He pressed a kiss to my head, nuzzling into my hair.

 

“I promise you I will.” My smile dissipated. “But one reason why I haven’t told you or anyone else everything yet is because I myself don’t have the whole story.”

 

He looked at me in worry.

 

“There are a lot of missing pieces. And I have a theory.” I paused. “I think that’s partially why I’m here. I think you are supposed to help me find the missing pieces to who I am.”

 

His worry vanished. “oh, i see.” He chuckled. “if that was the issue, all you had to do was ask.” He winked.

 

I giggled, standing up and giving him a peck on the cheek. “Thanks. Good to know you’re on board.”

 

“i doubt i’d be the only one.” Pulling me against him, he kissed me passionately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: When did you join the Undertale fandom?**
> 
>  
> 
> I can't think of a good question. I'm sorry. I'm having a rough week...month...life...yeah. (faints)


	49. AND…I REST MY CASE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Look who's back!
> 
> Oh, no...not me. Read the chapter, silly!

“Thank goodness for no morning sickness.” I sighed, rubbing the noticeable potato-size bump. “I can live with slight powerlessness and an extended time of minor discomfort since I have had years of that before coming here. But feeling the need to puke, or actually puking…NOPE!”

 

“what about the whole ‘being pregnant for longer’ thing?” Sans asked with a raised brow.

 

“As long as the kid is safe and you’re willing to give me backrubs, and stuff, I’m fine.” I closed my eyes.

 

He snorted. “is that an obligation?”

 

“Yes. Yes, it is.” I said matter-of-factly. “You’re not carrying them and you are the dad, so that is one of your many obligations.”

 

“there are more?” I heard the smile in his tone.

 

I snorted. “Well, obviously!”

 

“should i be writing this down and researching this?”

 

“Prooooobably? I think as the due date gets closer, that’ll become more of a priority.”

 

“i see.” He nodded sagely.

 

“Changing topics!” I sat up. “Anything new to report?”

 

“tori only told me that we’ve been getting angry letters from orientus. it seems that all of them are from anna now.”

 

“I’m guessing the citizens were pissed off, too.”

 

“saying they  _were_  is accurate. they aren’t anymore. i guess with the positive rumors about you, and given the amount of ‘thank you’ letter we receive, the citizens of orientus stopped having hissy fits like their bratty noble.”

 

“What do her letters say? I know you told me not to read them, but I’m curious.”

 

“well…”

 

“Sans,” Undyne called from outside the room. “We got a new hate letter from the bitch.”

 

“why are you telling me this?”

 

“She’s challenging Rachel.”

 

“Oh, this I gotta read.” I said with a snort. “Come in.”

 

The fish warrior walked in and handed the already opened letter. The text was clearly printed, the sender having used a computer to write it instead of handwriting it. I had learned over the past four months that handwritten letters were a sign of respect while printed ones, unless they were for specific business reasons that required the message being sent to multiple addresses, were a sign of extreme disrespect.

 

“Well, I can already tell she hates me.”

 

“Read it, then.” Undyne muttered. “This bitch is just…GAAAAH!”

 

I hummed thoughtfully as I read the context.

 

_Human,_

_I challenge you to a duel on Orientus soil. One on one, to the winner goes the crown, to the loser goes their life. I will not lose to a peasant. You have made a mistake by trifling with me and will pay with your life. Be in front of the palace in one week from this day, the fifth. If you decide to surrender, I will spare your life and you will be a prisoner of Orientus until your dying day._

_The Rightful Queen,_

_Princess Anna_

 

I snorted. “Is this girl  **even**  a princess?”

 

“No, she’s a noble with the rank of a Lady.” Undyne explained. “The only princess is your kid if they turn out to be a girl. We only have four ranks in all. The highest are the royals, which include the king, queen, and any princes or princesses that they conceive or adopt. Then the highest nobles, or the world leaders, are either lords or ladies. The last noble ranks are the reps, short for representatives. Then there are the citizens, or commoners.”

 

“So no duchesses or marquis?” I asked.

 

“what are those?” Sans inquired curiously.

 

“…Nevermind. Extra ranks from Earth.”

 

“those sound fancy, but no.”

 

“So, is she allowed to send a letter like this?”

 

“well, yes and no. the way she wrote it is a high offense and she could be tried and punished for speaking to a member of the royal family like that.”

 

“But she didn’t put her family’s crest on it, so she could claim that it wasn’t sent by her.” Undyne explained with a scoff.

 

“probably why she took the chance.” The skeleton huffed with a roll of his eye-lights.

 

I looked over the note once more before turning to Sans and Undyne. “What do you think I should do?”

 

“Kick her ass!”

 

“ignore her.”

 

The two looked at each other as I giggled. “Ahhh, the varying personalities. This is great. Comedy gold!”

 

“well, what do  **you**  want to do?” Sans asked with folded arms like the sassy boy he is.

 

“Y’know what. I’m going to do it. But I’ll come on the fourth, just to spite her.”

 

Undyne snickered while Sans groaned. “you do know your magic is diminishing little by little. chances are she knows about our kid and is trying to use that against you.”

 

I grinned. “Believe it or not, I have a plan. You both still don’t know everything about me, so this little tidbit should come in handy.”

 

“oh? explain.”

 

“I gotta hear this.”

 

“Let’s just say that Esheye will play a part in this plan.”

 

I grinned at their confusion. “Huddle up and let me explain.”

 

 

 

On the fourth of the month, I arrived early in my battle armor in front of the outrageously fancy palace in the capital of Orientus, the royal city of Summa. I brought my breakfast and had a cheap fold-up chair for shits and giggles, and sitting comfortably, I waited in the deserted streets.

 

Soon after the sun began to rise, and way after I had finished my nutritious meal, the citizens of Orientus began roaming the streets. I think it’s safe to say they were surprised to see me chilling in front of the palace, humming Megalovania under my breath.

 

“You are the new queen, are you not?” I looked up at the eel I recognized on the television during the first broadcast I had seen since returning from the honeymoon in Futurae.

 

“Yeah, and hey! I recognize you. I watched you talk to the reporter on television.”

 

He gasped, stammering. “Forgive my rudeness. I regret ever saying anything.”

 

“No worries. I’m not mad.” I assured him as I stood, offering a hand for him to shake. He bowed placed a gentle kiss to the back.

 

“Oh, that was supposed to be a handshake.” I shrugged. “No worries. I’m still new to a few things.”

 

I turned to the crowd. “Lady Koianna challenged me to a duel.” I held up the letter. “It said to come tomorrow, but I had nothing on my schedule, having completed everything on my ‘to do list’ a few days ago, so I thought I’d come a day early. I also like fours, so four it is.”

 

“Queen Rachel,” What appeared to be a butler made his way over from the palace entrance. “I can go retrieve Lady Koianna if you wish.”

 

“Oh, thank you. I’d appreciate that.”

 

He bowed low and returned to retrieve the fish brat while I waited patiently.

 

“Is his highness here?” The eel inquired respectfully.

 

“I believe so, or he will be  **later**. He wanted to do some sightseeing since he’s never been to Orientus before or hasn’t been in a long time. Regardless, he will be here for the duel.”

 

“What are you doing here?” I turned to the fish noble as she stomped over to meet me as I stood there, all smiles and bright exterior.

 

“You sent me a letter and I came early.”

 

“You stupid trash!” The Orientus citizens gasped. “Leave my kingdom and come back when you’re told.”

 

“So you forfeit the duel?” I questioned without letting my smile falter.

 

“No, I do not.”

 

“It sounds like you are. You wish to duel. Let’s duel, then.”

 

“I do not forfeit. Leave my kingdom and return tomorrow, peasant.”

 

I let my smile darken, letting just a bit of my natural demonic nature through.  **“I think not.”**

 

She stepped back, my change in aura creating fear. I pulled it back, replacing it with my angelic side.

 

“If you wish to have a duel, I am here and I am ready. If you decline, you have forfeited. So, will you duel or will you forfeit so that I may return to the capital without a fight and with no penalties”

 

“I…”

 

“KOIANNA!” The young noble flinched as her father stepped onto the balcony above. “DID YOU CHALLENGE THE QUEEN TO A DUEL?”

 

“I challenged this peasant, yes, but it was for tomorrow.”

 

“YOU HAVE NO PLACE TO DECIDE THAT. SHE IS THE QUEEN, AND YOU WILL RESPECT HER TITLE. FIGHT YOUR DUEL TODAY LIKE SHE ASKED, OR FORFEIT HONORABLY.”

 

“But father…”

 

“NO BUTS, CHILD. MAKE YOUR CHOICE.”

 

The brat growled, turning to me. “We will duel in ten minutes. I must prepare.” She stormed back into the palace.

 

“I am incredibly sorry for the lady’s rudeness.” The eel monster bowed. “She is incredibly upset about the turnout for the suitor’s appeal.”

 

“I understand. Do not worry. I hold no grudges against her. She is merely misguided.” I sat back down and looked up at Sans, who stood on the balcony with Lord Tancho. He winked briefly at me and I returned with a nod.

 

Everything was going according to plan.

 

Twenty minutes later, the fish noble exited, wearing an outfit befitting a female samurai, if there was such a thing in either worlds. On her hip was the sword she had when she tried to kill Sans. My grin widened briefly before I stood up, regarding her calmly.

 

“As I have been told, the rules for the duel are decided by the higher rank.”

 

“So **I**  will choose the rules,” She spat.

 

“KOIANNA!”

 

“Shut up, father!” She screeched, much to everyone’s shock.

 

“ **Hush** ,” I commanded simply, and the fish grew silent, terror on her face.

 

“The rules are simple. We will have a circle.” I snapped my fingers and a white circle appeared in the dirt around us. Those watching stepped several paces back to accommodate, and so it was clear the circle was big enough for a decent fight.

 

“First one outside the circle loses. Everyone watching can referee so that we have plenty of perspectives. And as for refereeing, I have this one order.” And with that, I commanded,  **“Do not lie about the results no matter the winner.”**  I had learned that they could not disobey a royal.

 

“Win by any means, using any weapon or any power.” I looked up. “The king will call the match.”

 

The commoners were startled to see the purple-clad skeleton in the balcony above, who nodded.

 

“alright, this is an untimed match with the only rule being whomever is kicked from the circle first loses. so, with that, let the duel begin!”

 

The circle ignited with blue light, now under Sans control, also indicating the start of the match…

 

The fish lunged, swiping with her sword. But her movements were a bit clumsy and I didn’t have to move much to dodge. She stopped before the now-blue outline of the circle and turned to face me, lunging again, missing again.

 

The noble continued swiping, getting used to the additional weight with every swipe, but still was unable to land a single blow.

 

“Why do you continue to flee?” She panted. “Are you scared?”

 

“Not at all. I can tell you aren’t used to the weight of that armor. I’m seeing if that might be your downfall.” I smiled. “After all, if you pass out, I can throw you outside the circle.”

 

She gave a battle cry, lunging for undefended neck. But again, I dodged. After a few more failures, she growled in frustration and began ripping off her heavy armor.

 

I waited, watching as she ripped the clothing, breaking several pieces, revealing the white martial arts gi with the Yin and Yang crest on the shoulder. With the armor removed, she was a lot faster. But with my extra sight and improved reflexes that were already fast before I left Earth, I could easily dodge or counter any strikes.

 

“Why do you not attack?” She cried in between heavy breaths.

 

“Do you want me to?” I asked with a raised brow.

 

“I want you on your knees, begging! I want you to know your place! You are  **beneath**  me!”

 

“I’m sorry you  **feel**  that way. You might have confidence issues to work out.”

 

“Shut up, bitch!”

 

“Believe me, I know what having low self-confidence is like. But if you work on that with people you trust, you’ll be happier.”

 

“Shut the fuck up, you  **stupid**  peasant!”

 

With another miss, she looked up at me in rage, sweat having coated her skin through her clothes.

 

“Fight me.” She spat. “Fight me and let me win.”

 

“I won’t let you win, silly.” I quirked a brow. “If you want me to come at you with full power, just say so. But you won’t win this fight. I  **guarantee**  you.”

 

“You think you’re better than me! I was born a noble! You are beneath me and always will be!”

 

“That is your opinion, of course. But I’ll ask again, do you want me to fight you with full power?”

 

“Yes, you stupid–”

 

I slammed into her, knocking her to the ground with a flying side kick. “I’ll fight you using only Tae Kwon Do, since that was what I learned when I was growing up.”

 

“What kind of made up fighting style is that, you stupid– AHHHH!” Roundhouse kicking her to the ground, I stood over her. “You should probably stop with the name-calling and focus more on fighting back. I’m still going easy on you, but I’ll stop if you continue to be disrespectful.”

 

“No matter what, you will always be at the bottom. I will make you kiss my feet, peasant bitch!”

 

I sighed sadly. “You are such a petty, little brat. Well, since you seem so focused on getting your way and being an obnoxious child who whines and bitches at everyone when it doesn’t happen, I’ll treat you the same way.”

 

I didn’t let her recover. I didn’t let her speak. I didn’t let her fight back. I was as brutal as she desperately  _wanted_  to be herself, with little mercy, if any at all. When she was beaten to a pulp of monster bits at the edge of the circle, I looked her over and squatted down her level.

 

“Any last words?”

 

“Y-yes!” She sat up. “ASSIST ATTACK!”

 

An assembly of guards entered the circle and pounced, getting between the noble and me.

 

“Really?” I deadpanned.

 

“You said any means.” She smirked.

 

“The contents of the letter were one on one.” I reminded.

 

“You made the rules.” She spat.

 

“I did. And thankfully, I saw this coming.” I grinned, activating my Soul Symbol and calling forth a few of my past lives as well as an entity that was a constant presence within me.

 

“Meet three of my past lives, as well as my true self. Psythe, Insanity, Midnight, and Esheye.” Four different girls who each looked and didn’t look like me. In a way, they were AUs of me. They were also, possibly, facets of my personality.

 

The first was the first Reaper to ever exist, Psythe, who was skeletal with sharp teeth, and whose scythe was a staff with detailed symbols etched into it, connected to the Moon Blade, at the center of one side had the symbol of Reapers. The same symbol also took the place of her pupil and iris of one eye, the other eye like Underfell Sans’ red pupil. Psythe represented my resolve, my playfulness, and my willingness to do what was needed if I had to.

 

Insanity was the embodiment of her name who wore attire like that the Victorian era, though much of it was shredded in a creepy fashion. She looked to come from the world of Sweeney Todd, though I had never seen the movie. The butcher’s knife she carried in her black-gloved, the fabrics ending at the base of the fingers, black-clawed hands was not the only weapon she had as she had additional daggers and could manipulate the bodies of her opponents like a puppet with strings of blood, which she also used to create more weapons. Her grin was filled with razors and her eyes were as wide as could be and seemed to change between X’s and swirls as they bounced. She represented the pain and insanity I went through from not being allowed to be myself. I had become insane, but Insanity ensured that I controlled my own craziness.

 

Midnight was a terror only to evil, her natural appearance and attire resembling an assassin from Asian cultures mixed with latex that spies in movies wore, all covered in the pattern of the night sky with stars that twinkled, her large and unique blades attached to her back, the metal band tying her hair up the same unique design. Her special ability ranged from shadow manipulation, and similar magics, to swordplay and martial arts. Midnight represented my secretive side, my nobility and need for justice, and my determination not to let others get away with wrongdoing.

 

Esheye was the most powerful of them all, as she was a part of me always. She was the one who kept me sane the most, drove me to peace instead of anger and murder, and helped me cultivate skills that would be useful in any occasion. She was me at my greatest, my logic, and my truth. She was the voice of reason and the one who protected me when everything fell apart. Dressed in the same armor as me, in black instead of purple and lacking the delta rune, her outfit held round buttons holding the outfit together that each had a different symbol; she was me without anything holding me back. She represented my strength, intelligence, and ultimate power. She was not the queen of monsters, not the girl who had suffered on Earth for twenty-four painful years; she was the me that could save this world and everyone in it with a single thought. She had been my guide since our initial creation billions of years ago.

 

“Now then,” I said with a chipper smile. “You need to get to me, since I’m the original. Get past these guys and shove me out. I won’t fight, but they will. And I doubt you will last a minute against any of them, much less all of them.”

 

Retrieving the folding chair with a flick of my wrist, I sat down and relaxed to let my counterparts take charge. Sure enough, ten seconds later, with twisted limbs and smashed armor, the guards and Koianna were shoved from the circle.

 

“Damn! I thought they’d last a little longer.” I stretched. “Oh well, that’s game over, I guess.” I winked at Sans.

 

“well, that’s game over. verdict.”

 

“Queen Rachel is victorious!” The crowd shouted unanimously.

 

I grinned and gave a little whoop.

 

“Aww, that was lame.” Psythe groaned. “Why bother?”

 

“I had fun…” Insanity grinned gleefully, petting her butcher knife that had been the culprit behind the smashed armor. “I didn’t get to kill anyone, but it was still fun!” She giggled.

 

“I’m just glad I got to punch the brat.” Midnight concluded.

 

“Hey Rachel,” Esheye grumbled. “Next time, I can handle it by myself.”

 

“Meh, better safe than sorry.” I winked.

 

“You are becoming too much like Sans.” I shrugged in response. “Lazy…” She mumbled. I laughed.

 

 

 

A few minutes later and everyone had calmed down from the aftermath of the fight. My former lives were tucked away within me once more and a group of guards began escorting the Orientus nobles out of the palace. As Koianna and her family were carted away, the former noble kicking and screaming, Sans walked up to me.

 

“well, i definitely am surprised that you have past lives like that hidden within you.”

 

“Yeah, well, those were just for show.” I sighed. “I almost thought Insanity would go full throttle, but she behaved. Probable because Esheye can take her out in less than a heartbeat.”

 

“whatever, i’m just glad that the brat will finally be punished.”

 

“Well, her and the nobles. Aren’t they all being removed from power?”

 

“yeah, and their replacements will do a good job.”

 

“You know them?”

 

“yeah, they’re good people. they were actually friends of mine when i was little. they were reps, but i think they’ll do well as nobles.”

 

“I’m just glad it’s over.” I grinned. “Anna is going to need rehab, her father will go to prison, and the others will be moved to the country. Will they have specific jobs there?”

 

“yeah, but nothing that will help them rise to power.”

 

“I see. So what now?”

 

“now we focus on this.” He pointed to the bump.

 

“Really? No work to do.”

 

“not yet!”

 

“Okay, I could use some relaxing.”

 

“oh stop! you didn’t even break a sweat!”

 

“Thank Mother for that one!” I grinned. “When she was training me, she went full throttle. Now that I’m pregnant, we’ve taken a break. But just you wait, she’ll be just as hard or even harder on me after I’ve recovered.”

 

“you wanna know who else is gonna be hard?”

 

“Ho, don’t do it!”

 

“me!” He laughed, winking seductively as he nudged me with his hip.

 

“Oh my god…” But I joined him, partially because I love that meme too much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Which of my current fan fictions do you like better? CounterTale or Under the Spotlight?**
> 
> Today is an anniversary, but I won't say which. 83


	50. CONFUSE THE ENEMY BY BRINGING UP ALTERNATE UNIVERSES!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Earth is back...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, were you expecting a more in-depth chapter summary? Lol, jokes on you.

I groaned, arching my back until it popped and shifting to a better position.

 

“you okay?”

 

“This back pain is no joke. It’s not even because of the baby’s weight. It’s literally the swelling messing with me.” I grumbled, eyeing the skeleton positioned in the bed next to me, paperwork strewn across the sheets as well as on the portable table next to him. I have been given a mini-table that’s legs were positioned on each side of me while the platform that held my computer was elevated over my nearly watermelon-sized belly.

 

“maybe you should sit up.” He said, shifting his reading glasses as he prepared to assist.

 

“No, no. It’ll be uncomfortable after a while regardless.” I sighed. “I just need to shift every couple o’ minutes to give myself a break.”

 

“do you want me to give you a back massage?”

 

“Don’t you have work?” I reasoned guiltily. “I’m sorry if I keep bugging you.”

 

“don’t worry. it’s all little stuff that can be done by a rep if i asked. but as i have nothing better to do, i’m doing it so that i don’t get bored. doing nothing doesn’t feel as fun anymore.”

 

I sighed with a smile, moving the mini-table off the bed so I could turn towards him. Somehow, watching him work was fun.

 

“I think I have a glasses fetish.” He looked up, a hint of blue dusting his cheeks. “Although it might just be you. Somehow you make glasses look incredibly sexy.”

 

He chuckled. “oh really?”

 

“Yeah,  _nerd_!” I drawled. “Don’t think I don’t know about your science background.”

 

“ugh, wow. i wondered about that.”

 

“Maybe when I’m not so grumbly and full of next generation, we can play doctor and nurse.”

 

He choked, the blue lighting up his entire skull. “holy shit, babe. i might not be able to wait.”

 

“Oh? Well then, why don’t you  _talk nerdy to me_?” I challenged.

 

In a scattering of papers, Sans was on me. I laughed at his eagerness, and admired how carefully he held me. Pressing a button on the side of his glasses, he removed them from his head and leveled a playful glare, challenging.

 

“I’m glad Alphys invented glasses that will stay in place since you don’t have physical ears.”

 

“who ever said  **she**  invented them?”

 

“Oh?” My eyes widened.

 

“yeah, give credit where it’s due, sweetheart. i made these. they are magnetized by my magic with a press of a button.”

 

“Ohhhhh,” I purred. “Tell me more!”

 

Flicking the glasses away so that they landed perfectly on his nightstand, no doubt by magic, he pressed closer.

 

“you better stop being so damn sexy before i decide to take you up on that offer.”

 

“I really don’t see what’s taking so long. C’mere and give me what you got, baby daddy!”

 

“damnit!” He pulled me in for a passionate kiss.

 

At that moment, my computer beeped, Skype, going online with a call. Neither of us responded as the call connected.

 

“Shit!” I fumbled, turning the computer away, but it was too late. They had already gotten a good enough picture of Sans.

 

“A skeleton?” Will asked with heavy sarcasm.

 

“Hang on!” Another man cut in. “Run the tape back! I think…yes, I recognize him!”

 

“Well?”

 

“He’s from the game, Undertale. I can’t…here it is!”

 

“Sans?” Will scoffed. “What kind of stupid name is that?”

 

“wow, what an asshole.”

 

“So, now we know where you are. And by the looks of what you were doing, it would appear you are into necrophilia.”

 

“Dumbass!” I shouted, turned the camera back towards me despite Sans still being directly next to me. “Not a skeleton, moron! Skeleton monster! For fuck’s sake, are you really stupid enough to make assumptions. No wonder they put you in the ‘torture department’. Your only good for being brutal in both stupidity and force.”

 

“You better watch your tongue, little shit.”

 

“Wow, I’m so scared.” I taunted. “How about you grow up and stop living in your mom’s basement? You’d be a lot scarier if you didn’t look and act like dumb shit.”

 

“You should be scared. We now know where you are, so we can come and get you.”

 

“Oh okay, then pop quiz! Which AU am I in, if any?”

 

“What?”

 

“Yeah, figure that out, dickwad!” I clicked the end button and signed off.

 

Sighing, I looked at Sans. “I will be deleting Skype for the unforeseeable future.”

 

“i’m worried.” He rubbed my belly, all traces of arousal gone from both of us.

 

“Me too. Can they use the same way I got here?”

 

**“No. The hammer I used as a demonstration of your power during the first Skype call contained the energy from the gateway.”**

 

“Oh.”

 

**“But with the clues they now have, there is another way.”**

 

“So what should we do?”

 

**“You have three options. Wait it out, prepare for an attack and be on constant guard, or beat them to the punch.”**

 

“i don’t think the last one is a good idea given the circumstances.” Sans pulled me so my back was flat against him, his chin resting on my shoulder as he placed a protective hand on the underside of my belly.

 

**“You are right about that. I can probably give you a heads up if they find a way and are approaching.”**

 

“will you?”

 

**“Of course.”**

 

“thank you. i just want to keep everyone safe.” He kissed my neck. “there’s no telling what those assholes might do if they get their hands on rachel while she’s vulnerable.”

 

“Just be glad they didn’t see much below my shoulders besides my hands. I made sure of that by keeping an eye on the smaller video of us in the corner.”

 

“yeah? smart move.”

 

“Soul, do you know how much longer this pregnancy will last?”

 

**“No, it’s still a bit up in the air. At seven months, it could be anything from five to seven more months. Human pregnancies are nine to ten months, so given that this will be longer, i estimate it to be a year at least.”**

 

“damn, this could be bad.”

 

“Then you’ll have to protect me.” I remarked lovingly.

 

“you better believe you won’t be leaving my sight, or my side.” He snarked back.

 

“Aww, you  **do**  care.” I cooed.

 

He chuckled, pressing a large smooch to my cheek. “i love you.” Lowering himself down to my baby bump, he lifted my shirt and pressed another smooch to my bare skin. “and i love them. whoever they will be when they’re born, i’m gonna make sure that they are born healthy, safe, and happy.” He looked back up at me. “as i hope for you. i don’t want those earth jerks to hurt you anymore.”

 

“Just stay with me and they won’t.” I pressed my forehead to his.

 

“i will.”

 

A knock came to the door. “Sans, Rachel, can I come in?”

 

“sure.”

 

Undyne walked in with her hand covering her eyes. “Were you two having a gooey moment?” She noticed the serious expressions and her face hardened. “What happened?”

 

“let’s just say the people who are after rachel know who she’s with to an extent.”

 

“Earth?”

 

“Yeah, they hacked my Skype and forced the video on while Sans was in the frame.” I grumbled. “I am deleting the app as we speak.”

 

“So they know because of the Undertale thing?”

 

“yeah, but rachel threw them off with the au concept.”

 

“They’re still going to try to find me. And chances are they’ll try to invade here just because they’re greedy assholes.”

 

Undyne growled defensively. “So, we need to protect you  **and**  Natura!”

 

“leave protecting her to me.” Sans decreed. “what we need to focus on is preparing for any attack should it come. soul will be keeping me informed of any potential dimensional break-ins.”

 

“Right.” Undyne prepared to leave.

 

“Hang on!” I called after her. She turned. “You guys need to know about their weapons. Tell me, do you know anything about guns?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Wanna join my fan fiction raffle? Go[here](https://sta.sh/0lu02dxgtp1) and read the rules to find out how. Tumblr users and anons included.**


	51. PREPARING FOR THE APOCALYPSE REQUIRES THAT YOU KNOW HOW TO DODGE A BULLET OR WORSE!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Preparing for an invasion is not a simple task, especially if you don't know what a gun is. Thankfully, we've got a person from another world that knows what they are doing. ;3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm a day late and I'm so, so sorry! Forgive me!
> 
> On another note, I will be getting help for this story soon. So some chapters will be updated for better readability when they are done.

“What’s a gun?” Dogaressa asked.

 

I groaned, eyeing all the troops before me. We were at the training ground Grillby originally used when I first started learning fire magic and manipulation. Sitting in twin lawn chair, Sans and I would be watching together. Though, as he didn’t know what guns were either, I would be the only teacher.

 

“Um, how do I explain this?” I began, one hand over my mouth thoughtfully.

 

 **“Here.”**  Soul handed me a handgun.

 

“Oh, that’s useful.” I held it up for people to see. Various sounds of wonder and curiosity greeted me at the sight of the metallic weapon.

 

“This is a handgun. There are also rifles, tanks, and various other types of guns that are classified by how they are built, how big the bullets within them are, or how big the gun is in general. This is pretty small, but it can hurt anyone if you misuse it.”

 

I gave everyone a stern look. “These are weapons. They don’t serve another function that doesn’t revolve around hurting someone else. Some people use them only to defend themselves, but if you’re out to murder someone or force someone into submission, these are the most popular choice. They are made to kill people.”

 

The monsters looked horrified.

 

“And what’s worse is that they are very lethal, and almost impossible to avoid if in the hands of someone who knows how to use them.”

 

I motioned the group out of the way as I aimed at the target. With enhanced sight and calculating skills, I turned off the safety and pulled the trigger. The sound would be too painful for my ears, so I muted my sense of hearing until I was sure it was done. The others had already cringed.

 

“what the hell?” Sans cried.

 

“That was too fast!” Undyne cried out. “I can’t dodge that.”

 

“She hit the target so easily and from such a large distance.”

 

“I have never shot a real gun before this.” I cut in. “But since I had a toy gun, which I used to defend myself right before I was transported here, as well as my elevated senses and magically-trained precision, I can calculate the target with ease.”

 

“Whoa…” Undyne breathed unsurely.

 

“Here’s the deal. It will take too long to learn to dodge a bullet, as fast as they go. Instead, we need to find a tactic that is equally as fast, if not faster, so that they never have a chance to shoot in the first place. Additionally, we need something to counter their attacks.

 

“Shields will need to be made, offensive magic needs to evolve and adapt to these new situations, and we need to calculate their moves and strategy as accurately as possible.

 

“This handgun is pathetic in comparison to the weapons we might face. You do not want to face a tank because they are bigger, hold larger and far more lethal ammunition, and can hold people in them like a shield while they fire their bullets.”

 

“So, what do you suggest we do first?” Dogaressa asked.

 

“Shields and energy containers. Bullet-proof and pressure absorbent so that pressure converts to energy that can be used to heal anyone who has been harmed – I don’t want anyone to be harmed by those human bastards. We need to find allies in the various countries just in case. Only people we trust, though.”

 

“why?”

 

“I know that some might blame me for any invasion. We need to focus on combining our strengths instead of bickering with each other.” He nodded, understanding.

 

“I will take responsibility when all is said and done.” I glared into the heavens. “And if any of them harm a single entity, alive or natural, on this planet, I won’t hesitate to bring those responsible down. They will wish they were in Hell when I am through with them.”

 

Futurae was the only ally we trusted with all the facts. They were willing to contribute anything that would help and even send their troops through a portal now stationed in Alphys’ lab if needed.

 

The rest of the world was warned about a potential attack from beyond Natura, so they prepared, heeding the instructions of building shields and pressure converters and large batteries and power capsules, just in case.

 

Sans and I received constant reports from Soul who was conversing with an unknown info broker with the same guardian status as him. While he refused to tell us who, he informed us that if the Earth humans attacked, his friend would be the first to know and relay the information as soon as he received it.

 

Even with the shields, converters, and batteries being created, troops were being trained for long range, speed-based attacks just in case. The labs of Futurae and the capital combined forces and created a gun of sorts, just in case. I didn’t want them to fight with it, but having this weapon that would only affect human Souls and nothing more might be necessary.

 

At ten months, I could no longer leave my bed without immense pain from the swelling. Everything was ready, tested, and all we had to do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: What are your favorite headcanons for Sans?**
> 
>  
> 
> I don't know if I've asked this question before. If I have, sorry!


	52. WE ARE LOOKING TO THE FUTURE AND EVERYTHING WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED TO GET THIS FAR…

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We are drawing close to the birth of the royal child and what looks to be an upcoming war.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This looks so much shorter now. So weird...sorry about that. :/ Maybe this is why I implemented my 5-7 page policy for Under the Spotlight and Of Monsters and Angels. (shrug)

“any pain?” Sans asked as he jumped under the covers next to me.

 

“Yeah, in my hips and feet, but it’s manageable.” I shifted onto my side.

 

“c’mere, sweetheart.” Pulling me closer so my back was to his chest, he carefully kneaded my belly and lower back.

 

“Thanks.” I exhaled.

 

He shushed me, kissing my cheek.

 

“i still can’t believe this is mine.” He traced my belly, feeling our child shift within. “whoa, they moved!”

 

“Hang on,” I pulled away and shifted again, pulling my shirt up to just under my breasts, before pulling his head to the bare skin of my rounded abdomen.

 

Holding my sides, he waited and listened, gasping softly every few minutes. “that’s…amazing!” He pulled back and rubbed circles along my sides as he gazed lovingly at my full belly. “they can’t get much bigger than this.”

 

“I should hope so.” I giggled. “They are definitely active. You flipped your shit when they first started moving.”

 

“why wouldn’t i?” He asked incredulously. “i helped make something amazing. they’ll be one of a kind, just like their mother.” He kissed my navel, which was no longer inverted.

 

“You are so weird.” I sighed. “I can already tell you’re going to be such a silly dad.”

 

He gasped. “holy shit!”

 

“What?” I narrowed my eyes.

 

“i’m gonna be a dad!” He gasped, his hands on his cheeks in one of the funniest expressions he has ever made.

 

“Wait!” I gasped incredulously. “Is it only sinking in  **now**?”

 

“yeah…yeah, i think it is.” He replied sheepishly.

 

I laughed. “Sans, sweetheart, you are so funny.”

 

“babe,” He sobbed. “holy crap!”

 

“Whoa, why are you crying?”

 

“because i never thought i’d get the chance to have a family and be a father, what with my dad’s disappearance and papy almost falling down. it’s so weird!”

 

“Ohhhhhh, Sans!” I cooed, sniffing. “Come up here and give me a kiss, love!”

 

He looked up at me with tear-filled, starry eyes. I laughed, letting my own emotions caused by empathy get the best of me.

 

“C’mon!” I coaxed.

 

He grinned, coming up to my level, and planting several small kisses before ending with as much passion as possible on my lips.

 

“i will protect you, them, and everyone else for as long as i am alive.”

 

“I know you will.” I kissed him again. “Me, too.”

 

As full as I was, neither of us could refrain from making love gently as we showed each other complete devotion.

 

 

~Does she know?~

 

**No, she doesn’t. And per your instructions, I’ve let Petals take the lead. Are you sure you can’t delay them a little longer?**

 

~Yes, I’m sure. This is the best bet regardless.~

 

**She will be in so much pain, though.**

 

~So be it. Why do you think she lived a life full of so much sorrow?~

 

**Is that why? So that she could overcome the greatest of pain.**

 

~If she overcomes this final test, she will have no more limits. She needs to prove she will go above and beyond in order to protect her family and kingdom if she wants to truly take on her role as Esheye Telari.~

 

**What happens if she fails?**

 

~Then the darkness will consume her and everything will end.~

 

**Would you really let that happen?**

 

~I am not the one in control. Fate has ordered it and so it will be. The date is set and only you and Petals will be aware of what is to be done.~

 

**Very well, Lady Ochena.**

 

~I wish you luck, my friend.~

 

**Thank you. I truly hope for the best outcome.**

 

~As do I.~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Which do you like most: fluff, angst, or smut?**
> 
> Idk...I couldn't think of a better question. :/


	53. MAKING THE RIGHT CHOICE IS NOT ALWAYS EASY!*

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The real test begins...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Minor smut in this chapter.

I sighed, staring blankly at the book in my hand. I would much rather read fan fiction, but with the Soul Link, that would be awkward while I was vulnerable. Until I had better control of the information between Sans and I, I would stick to the non-embarrassing route. No matter how many times Sans reiterated that he’d already read a bunch.

 

The waiting game had gotten old. Fourteen months had passed since this pregnancy had begun and it was October again, and I was starting to worry if our child would be born on the anniversary of our marriage. With less than ten days until Halloween, I was worried, being that I did not want to celebrate two events of the same day. It would take away from our child whom, if they were like me, would not appreciate that.

 

“Is that book even interesting?” Undyne asked suddenly, making me wonder how long she had been standing there.

 

“I…have been staring at this for,” I paused and looked at the clock, “almost an hour, I think.”

 

“Wow.” She replied bluntly.

 

“Yeah.” My eyes widened as I remembered something. “Oh!” I snapped my fingers, startling her. “I’ve been meaning to ask. You and Alphys are married, right?”

 

“Yeah…?”

 

“But I haven’t seen any kids.”

 

“Oh, yeah…” She seemed uncomfortable.

 

“ **Yeah**  is right! Lord Tyrran told me that, like, ninety percent of monster couples will conceive on their honeymoon.”

 

“Well…”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“We never really had a chance for a full bonding and honeymoon.” She explained, and my grin dropped. “Since we both have super important jobs, we can’t afford to be away for long and bonding…well, y’know.”

 

I grimaced. “That’s not right.”

 

“It’s fine. When things calm down enough, we’ll consider it. And we do plan to have kids when we do bond and finally go on the honeymoon.”

 

I narrowed my eyes in thought. “Okay, then it’s settled.”

 

“What?” She asked, bewildered.

 

“When all of this is over and everyone is safe, you go on that honeymoon.” I explained. “I will personally help you so that you get a reservation and everything.”

 

She held her hands up. “No, no! It’s fine!”

 

“Nope,” I cut her off. “It really isn’t. Sans and I have jobs that are the same level of difficulty as you and we still got a honeymoon.”

 

“That’s because you’re the royals, Toriel and Asgore took your place, and they are good at being reps. Alph is the Royal Scientist, and no one can replace her at this time. And I’m the Royal Guard Captain, and…same reason.”

 

I imitated the sound of an error alarm. “ _Errrrrrr!_  Wrong! You literally have Mister Smarty-Pants as your king and Misses I-Can-and-WILL-Kick-Your-Ass as your queen! Tori and Asgore can be temporary full-time royals until you get back!”

 

“But you’re…pregnant.”

 

I snorted. “I won’t  **always**  be, silly!” I grinned. “And if you decide to have a kid, no matter who carries them – if that’s how it’s done – we have people who can do your jobs temporarily. Even if it’s me or someone from Futurae. Don’t act like I don’t know Alph’s heritage.”

 

“You knew…?”

 

“She’s a dino-lizard monster that looks like a triceratops – I’ll explain later. Rexia Lantis was a tyrannosaurus rex monster, hence where her name comes from. Where I’m from, dinosaurs were one of the first races of creatures to live on the planet. But they became extinct because of an asteroid. It’s ironic that both Alphys and Rexia are dino-like and they are so smart and create or live futuristic lives. Especially considering where I’m from, dinosaurs were portrayed as pretty stupid. But that’s humans for you. Willing to degrade other lifeforms to make themselves seem smarter than they are. Hell if  **I**  know if dinos were smart or not. But Alphys sure is.

 

“And I know that your heritage is from Orientus. You are a fish who looks a whole lot like Koianna in some ways. But while she is a brat who gives me the same thoughts as a movie from my world called Mean Girls, you remind me of Korra from Legend of Korra. Well…to an extent. If I had to pick something off the top of my head, then yeah. Point is, your badass while she is cringe-worthy.”

 

Undyne snorted. “Show me this Korra thing when you can and I’ll be the judge.”

 

“Sure! Also, my battle suit is based off one of Korra’s outfits. That’s how much I respect her as a character. And by the end of the series, there is a lot of character growth to be had. Four seasons, Undyne, where she starts off as a hot-headed teen who is so excited to be the series’ namesake – again, I’ll explain later – to a humble warrior who has gone through so much pain, lost so much to gain more understanding of herself, and had to learn to stand on her own, but had grown because of it all.”

 

“Wow.” The fish warrior grinned. “Yeah, I wanna see that.”

 

“see what?”

 

“Legend of Korra!” I replied. “Oh, but we need to watch Avatar: The Last Airbender first. It’s the first series, and takes place, I think, seventy years before Korra.”

 

“What the hell is an Avatar?”

 

“All will be revealed when we start that.”

 

The warrior groaned. “Whatever! I’ll leave you two to your snuggling.”

 

I snorted and replied in a sing-song tone, “Thaaaa-aaaanks!” She left the room, grumbling.

 

Sans watched her go before turning to me. “did you just…get her into a new anime or something without even showing it?”

 

“Maybe. It’s technically not an anime since it has a different origin. Where are anime in this world made in?”

 

“orientus.”

 

“Figures. Yeah, imagine a show the same style as anime, but from this country, but on the far-left side of the country.”

 

“apricitas?”

 

“Is that your version of Hollywood?”

 

“what is a holly wood?”

 

“Uh…never mind.”

 

He snorted, getting closer and nuzzling into my hair. “you smell nice.”

 

“Thanks, I have to take baths now.”

 

“yeah, i get that.” He placed his hand on my basketball-sized belly. “does it hurt?”

 

“Yeah, but it’s okay.” I sighed. “I just hope they’ll come out easily.”

 

“me too.” He crept down and listened. “i can hear them. they are shifting a lot.”

 

“Yeah, I know. They are very fussy.” I chuckled.

 

“anything new happen besides that?”

 

“Not really. They just–  _Ahh!_ ” I yelped as a spasm jolted through me.

 

“are you okay?!”

 

“Yeah!” I replied roughly. “I think they kicked my spine.”

 

Sans cringed. “the due date has to be close. i have never seen a pregnant monster, or human, as large as you are now.”

 

“Yeah, but we were warned.” I groaned, turned on my side, towards him.

 

“here, let me…” He pulled me closer, pressing his hands to either side of my belly and rubbing gentle, yet firm, circles. “does that help?”

 

“Yeah, they’re calming down.”

 

He grinned cautiously, gazing into my watery eyes. “i told the others that for the remainder of this pregnancy, i’ll be by your side.”

 

“What if…what if there’s an invasion or something goes wrong in Futurae, or Orientus, or…”

 

He shushed me. “everyone understands why i am doing this. after losing asriel, people would think i am a fool to leave you and our kid alone. especially right now. asgore did, too. he even gave a speech along with paperwork. i only gave paperwork. but everyone understands.”

 

I cringed as another spasm went through my body. Sans noticed and began rubbing his blue magic across my bare belly.

 

“calm down, kiddo. i don’t appreciate that you’re hurting my wife. it’s almost over and then you’ll be with us and not feeling so crowded.” I chuckled.

 

Shifting and pulling my knees up at an angle twenty-five-degree angle, Sans parted his legs to stay upright and focused on easing the pain the only way he knew how. The only problem was that I was so hormonal and needy.

 

“Sans…” I all but whined. He hummed in response, not taking his eyes off his work. “Harder…”

 

He looked up in surprise. “babe, no! you’re too fragile right now.”

 

“Sans, please…I can’t.” I pulled him to me, moaning when his body gently contacted mine.

 

“sweetheart, wait!” I pulled him into a kiss, which he couldn’t fight. He groaned, conceding by gently rubbing his thumb against my clit.

 

“No! I need your cock!”

 

“sorry…” He breathed. “but i can’t take any chances of hurting you.”

 

Good thing he was good with his hands because even after I managed to remove all my clothes, he wouldn’t go further than gently massaging where I asked and fingering my pussy. I fell asleep shortly after orgasming.

 

I woke up covered in sweat and flailing.

 

**“Rachel, Earth is pushing through to our dimension.”**

 

“What?”

 

**“I just received word from my fellow guardian that they will be here shortly.”**

 

“Oh god, no!”

 

“babe?”

 

“Soul just said the Earth forces are coming soon…”

 

“shit!”

 

As Sans turned to page Undyne, I turned to see the time. It was just past one in the morning.

 

“yeah, soul said it. inform everyone. keep on your guard.” He put the device down and turned to me. “i am staying with you. i need to protect you.”

 

“But w-what about Natura?” I almost sobbed.

 

“we have been preparing for this!”

 

“How did they even know how to get here?”

 

**“They have grabbed the connection of your computer. Even with it off and all access deleted, they still had the previous data.”**

 

“Shit!” I sobbed. “This is all my fault!”

 

“stop it! it wasn’t. and even if it was, we can overlook it considering everything you have already done to help this world. you are one of us and i’ll be damned if i let anyone hurt you!”

 

Wiping my face, I gave him what felt like a crooked grin. That is, until a sharp pain spread across my belly.

 

“Shit!” I cried. “What was…” I felt wetness gush between my legs. “Oh god! No! Why now?”

 

“what happened?”

 

“My water broke! The baby is coming!  _Ahh!_ ” I screamed. “I’m going…into labor!”

 

“damn it!” He turned and pressed the button for immediate care.

 

A knock came to the door. “Sir?”

 

“trix, she’s going into labor!” The mousy nurse rushed in and began to work. “and we just found out that earth is about to invade!”

 

“What?” The nurse squeaked.

 

“yeah, i know. fantastic timing!”

 

“S-Soul,” I cried.

 

**“I’m here.”**

 

“Did…did you know…about this?”

 

“Don’t speak, dear!”

 

“I…need to know!  _AHHHH!_ ”

 

Sans took my hand and flinched when I began squeezing too tightly.

 

**“…”**

 

“Soul, please!”

 

**“…Rachel,”** he sighed,  **“this is a test. That is all I can tell you.”**

 

“Fuck! This is so stupid!”

 

**“…”**

 

My groaned turned into a growl. “You can’t just bullshit me like that! This is all too conveniently terrible. You and…Mother…everything is…THIS IS THE ULTIMATE BULLSHIT!”

 

“Sans!” Undyne shouted, bursting through the door and halting in shock when she saw what was happening.

 

“what is it?” He replied angrily.

 

“I just received word that the scanner picked up the Earth soldiers.”

 

“where will they appear?”

 

“At the gate to the palace.”

 

“shit.” He growled, turning to me. “prepare for an attack. also, have recording devices on. we need to get all the info possible.”

 

She saluted him. “Yes, sir.” She turned, but hesitated, unwilling to turn around. “Will you be fighting?”

 

“no. i refuse to leave my wife when she’s giving birth.”

 

“I…I understand.” She left, closing the door behind her.

 

I turned to Sans. “Hon, you need to…” I yelped.

 

“Stop talking and breathe.” Nutrix ordered.

 

_You need to help them. They need your strength. I will be fine. I can even show you the birth if you miss it._

 

“ **no**. i’m not leaving.”

 

_Please!_

 

“forget it.” He enunciated angrily.

 

_Sans, if something happens to any of them because you weren’t there…WITH MY POWERS…to protect them, I will never forgive you! You need to protect this kingdom. Get it done as soon as you can and come back in time for the birth! Do not let me down!_

 

Before he could respond, the pager went off.

 

_-The portal has opened!-_

_-Prepare yourselves, everyone!-_

_-Where is the king?-_

_-I’m scared!-_

 

Sans trembled, tears dripping down.

 

“Go.” I whispered.

 

He growled, turning away from me. “stay safe.”

 

I nodded.

 

“keep her safe and make sure she and the kid stay healthy, or so help me…!”

 

“You have my word that I will do my best, sir.”

 

He snarled. “i’ll be back. don’t die, don’t let our kid die, and stay well.”

 

I nodded, a small smile on my lips.

 

Giving me one final peck, Sans rushed out, pager in hand.

 

“i’m on my way.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **QOTD: Of the three main Sanses (Fell, Swap, and Classic), which is your favorite?**

**Author's Note:**

> **Important: Some details in this story might go against popular religious views. These details are partially my beliefs, hopes (because I have low self-confidence), and lastly, for story purposes only. I am in no way trying to deny others' beliefs, nor am I trying to disrespect anyone. I apologize in advance if anyone finds anything hurtful in any way. It was not intended to be that way.**
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Do you like Tumblr? Well CounterTale has an [Official Tumblr](https://countertale.tumblr.com/), so check it out now! And for my personal Tumblr, go [here](http://rtnightmare.tumblr.com/)!
> 
> Updates for this story will change depending on my schedule - so far, both Saturday and Sunday seem to be best! The only issue might come if we have not edited enough! And there will be short hiatuses between Arcs!  
> ARC 1: 1-16 (COMPLETE!)  
> ARC 2: 17-35 (COMPLETE!)  
> ARC 3: 36-57 (COMING SOON!)  
> ARC 4: 58-END (UNFINISHED!)

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [ContrastTale: Kinship](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11451540) by [RTNightmare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RTNightmare/pseuds/RTNightmare)
  * [ContrastTale: Pursuit](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11484879) by [RTNightmare](https://archiveofourown.org/users/RTNightmare/pseuds/RTNightmare)




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